


you are the starlight in the deepest night sky

by kissyangel



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Abuse, Actually there might be lots of violence but not much between Yeonbin, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bottom Choi Yeonjun, But He Gets Better, But Mostly Hurt, Choi Soobin Being An Asshole, Choi Soobin Is Bad At Feelings, Dubious Consent, Hurt/Comfort, I only tag that because Yeonjun is mute and cannot verbally give consent, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Mild Language, Mute Choi Yeonjun, Poison, Prince Choi Soobin, Slave/Servant Choi Yeonjun, Smut, Top Choi Soobin, Verbal Abuse, Verbal Humiliation, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:41:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 27,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28684230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kissyangel/pseuds/kissyangel
Summary: The Great King and General Choi Soobin, also known as the dark-hearted Prince of Ansan, is a possessive and controlling tyrant who believes everything should abide to his will, even love.The mute servant Choi Yeonjun, whose duty is to serve the Kang Household despite his weak and feeble exterior, is taken as the King’s concubine in place of Kang Chul's daughter because of his androgynous beauty. He will have to hide his identity from the prince, including the fact that he is male.
Relationships: Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun
Comments: 59
Kudos: 298





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: For right now, Yeonjun’s thoughts will be in italics. Also, this is based off a chinese novel but I’m going to be doing my own spin of it because it’s not finished yet. Just some warnings: tagged as dubious consent because Yeonjun is mute and cannot verbally give his consent, he is also regarded as one of Soobin's possessions so really his consent would not matter anyway.

It is rumored that the Prince of Ansan is a wicked and eternally victorious soldier on the battlefield, standing at least eight feet tall with a full beard and a scarred face. He is feared by many, the tales of his horror forcing enemies to fall back with as little effort as sheathing his sword.

There is also the rumor that the Prince of Ansan is a lecherous snake with no restraint or self control, not distinguishing between the men and women he lays with. His precious wife aside, the prince has had a total of nine concubines and mistresses, of which he regularly used for his own selfish desires and yet none have survived.

And with that knowledge in mind, the Kang family refused to send their daughter at the request of the prince in search of yet another mistress. In her place, they sent a mute slave with favorable looks who had been working as a servant since he was born. 

“Won’t we be sending him to his death?”

“Better him than my daughter,” is all Kang Chul replied as they watched the prince’s carriage disappear from their village with his servant inside.

_ If the prince realizes I’m male, he’ll probably be disgusted. I won’t survive the night,  _ Yeonjun thought to himself as he watched the only home he had ever known disappear from view. He was trembling in his seat, avoiding the gaze of the soldier sitting across from him. 

The only reason he went along with this ridiculous plot was because Kang Chul promised he would care for his aging mother in his absence. If he agreed to take his daughter’s place as the Prince’s consort, his mother would be released from her duties and able to live freely among the village.  He would be a selfish son to refuse, especially after everything his mother has done to protect him.

_ Goodbye, mother. I hope you will protect me even from afar. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chapters are short are kind of short but they will get longer I promise

_ I am going to die. _

Those are the words that Yeonjun finds himself repeating in his head as he awaits the Prince’s arrival. The royal hanbok, made of white and red cloth decorated with intricate gold detailings, does well to enhance the femininity of his face and figure, but it will do little to hide the body underneath once he is taken by the prince.

_ I am going to die. He’s going to see that I am male and he will kill me for deceiving him. Someone please save me- _

Heavy footsteps sound in the hallway and Yeonjun clenches his eyes shut, his frail body trembling in his spot on the king-sized bed. He sucks in a sharp breath and holds it, listening to the door of the bedroom slide open and closed, before the footsteps get closer.

Yeonjun’s fear is palpable in the air, his mouth and throat falling dry as he anticipates how he will spend his last few moments alive. He doesn’t have much time to dwell before he feels the veil being carefully lifted away from his face, his breath coming out in a shaky but silent gasp.

“Open your eyes,” a warm, soft voice fills the room and Yeonjun finds himself obeying without delay. He blinks once, then twice, before focusing on the man standing above him.

His lips part as he takes in the tall man before him, who resembles nothing of the image he had prepared in his mind, backed by rumors that had spread throughout the village for years. There is not a single scar or blemish marring the prince’s beautiful face, no beard or hint of facial hair to be seen, and there’s no possible way he’s eight feet tall. Yet his appearance is intimidating all the same.

Yeonjun has half a mind to make a dash for it, not wanting to be caught in the presence of another man on his wedding night because that would surely end in his immediate death. But then he lowers his gaze to the royal robes adorning the man’s broad shoulders and he knows him to be the fearsome Prince of Ansan. He swallows, terror piercing his gut in continuous and unbearable waves.

“Look at me,” the prince says calmly.  _ His voice must be enchanted,  _ Yeonjun thinks to himself as his eyes move of their own accord, only stopping when he has reached the prince’s gaze. 

_ So this is General Choi Soobin, the dark-hearted Prince of Ansan. He’s not ugly or scary at all like the rumors say… Actually, he feels rather gentle- _

“What’s the matter?” Prince Soobin asks, his voice no longer calm but rather condescending. “You look like I’m about to devour you.”

Yeonjun’s face flushes and he turns away, unable to hide the redness of his ears despite the ever-growing length of his black hair. His bangs are only long enough to frame the sides of his slim face, the rest reaching his shoulders and sitting nicely against the long, pale nape of his neck. 

He feels the prince’s eyes on him, dragging down the length of his throat, past the bulge of his adam’s apple to the dip of his collarbones, and he swallows instinctively. Then there are hands on his chin, turning his head until he’s staring at the prince once again.

“I asked you a question.”

Yeonjun shivers at the tone of his voice, his body covered in goosebumps despite the sweat forming at his temples. He stares at the prince silently, unable to turn away again, hoping that whatever the prince does to him ends swiftly. As long as his mother is okay, he is not afraid to die. He was prepared for that possibility the moment he accepted the offer.

“Hm,” the prince kneels down in front of him and Yeonjun follows the movement with wide eyes, his hands flailing a bit as he tries to convince the man to stand back up. “I heard you are the number one beauty of the Kang Village. Such a beautiful face and yet you do not know how to speak?”

Yeonjun frowns, lowering his gaze to his lap. He plays with his fingers, hoping his silence hasn’t angered the prince.  _ It’s not that I do not know how, I simply cannot remember. _

“How interesting,” is all the man says in reply before reaching over to the dark wooden table beside the bed, lifting the silver cup to Yeonjun’s dry lips. 

“Drink.”

Yeonjun tilts his mouth forward, allowing the man to pour a hefty amount of wine past his lips. He winces at the taste, his face contorting as he swallows it done before coughing loudly.  _ What the hell was that? _

“This is our nuptial cup,” Prince Soobin informs him as he raises himself from the ground, taking his own gulp of wine before dropping the cup to the floor carelessly. 

“Now that you have drank from it, you belong to me.”

Yeonjun gasps silently as he is suddenly pushed backwards onto the bed, his wrists maneuvered above his head and pinned to the mattress by a much larger hand. He blinks rapidly, staring up at the prince hovering over him.

The next words are uttered against his ear, a chill running along the length of his spine at the implication behind them. "I am in a good mood today, so I will let you experience pleasure first.”


	3. Chapter 3

“You seem to like it when I tease you here,” Soobin whispers into his new wife’s ear, his fingers playing with the perky nipples peeking out from her flat chest. He would have been disappointed by that had it not been for her lewd reaction, something that made his cock twitch with interest.

He had hoped that her refusal to speak would not affect her ability to moan, yet the only sounds he was able to force out of her were hoarse and shuddering gasps.

“If you won’t respond, maybe I should tease you here instead,” he murmurs against the shell of her ear, moving his large hand inside the unraveled hanbok that was exposing her bare chest in an attempt to tease her clit. Yet he is stopped by a gentle grasp on his forearms, delicate fingers wrapping around him and he lifts his head to stare down at the disheveled woman laying before him.

She turns her head from where it was pressed into the mattress, exposing her pink cheeks and fox-like eyes as she stares back up at him. Her desirable lips, pushed out into a slight pout, open and close as if she wants to say something but cannot. Soobin pulls his hand away from her, ready to berate her for denying him access to her body when he could have made no effort at all to pleasure her. However, he is stopped as she pushes herself up onto her knees as if presenting herself for him.

He watches, mouth going dry, as she lifts the hem of her royal dress up and over the curve of her pale ass, knees pressed so close together he can’t see anything other than the pink hole between her slim cheeks.

“You’re giving this to me?” Soobin asks, unable to hide his surprise or desire as he rests his hands on either side of her hips, caressing the pale skin. He presses his thumbs into her skin, spreading her cheeks apart so he can watch the way her pink hole flutters and clenches invitingly. 

His consort  _ (Yeonjun was it?) _ nods shyly before hiding her face in the dark red sheets. Soobin smirks at her bashful reaction. 

_ I am going to enjoy my time with her. _

“Since you denied my touch before, I think it is only fair that you should prepare yourself for me,” he hums, patting her thigh gently before removing his hands and climbing off the bed to grab some oils from his nightstand. He tosses them onto the sheets beside her, watching with sick satisfaction as her eyes widen and she shakily nods, reaching out with a slim hand to grab them. 

“If you don’t want it to hurt, you’d better do it properly. I won’t stop even if you cry,” Soobin informs her as he begins to undo his own royal robes, letting them fall from his shoulders to the ground.

Yeonjun lifts herself up on her elbows so she can coat her long fingers with the oil, the sweet scent making goosebumps appear on her smooth skin. Soobin sits down beside her, caressing her calf as she brings a hand behind herself and spreads the oil over her puckered entrance.

“It might be better if you spread your legs apart. I think it will hurt like this,” the prince explains calmly but Yeonjun only shakes her head. She takes a deep breath, her lips parted and eyes half shut as she presses the tip of her middle finger inside. Soobin grows concerned when her hips suddenly jerk forward, her finger slipping out and a pitiful, quiet whimper finally escaping her throat. 

“Aish! I told you to spread your legs,” Soobin rolls his eyes, snatching the oil out of her hand before settling onto the bed behind her. “If you’ve never been used here before, why did you offer it to me?”

Yeonjun turns her head, cheeks and ears burning red as she grips the sheets beside her face. Her entire body is shaking, trembling so hard that Soobin can feel it through the mattress.

“Were you trying to impress me?” Soobin hums as he slides a long finger through the mess of oil between her cheeks, letting it catch against her rim before circling the puckered skin. He’s not expecting an answer but he receives one nonetheless when Yeonjun nods into the sheets, her breathing now labored.

“I admire your honesty, princess,” Soobin chuckles at her naivety, spreading some oil onto his own fingers before massaging her rim gently, allowing the muscle to loosen up before he even attempts to push inside. “Thus, I will have mercy on you and prepare you properly.”

Those words must feel like a saving grace because Yeonjun melts into the mattress, her grip on the sheets loosening just a bit. Soobin continues to massage her skin, admiring the expanse of her shoulders despite their broadness and the delicate arch of her neck. He wants to cover her pale skin in bruises, claim his stake so no one will even dare to look at what’s his. The thought has him pressing his middle finger inside, groaning at the warm and velvet heat that surrounds him. 

“You really have never done this before… I can feel your heartbeat through your ass,” he chuckles but it comes out strained, his own breath caught in his throat at how beautiful she looks with her back arched and her knees still pressed together. Soobin has never felt this turned on just from putting his finger in someone and he has to grip his cock through his garments, trying to will his erection down because he knows it will be awhile before Yeonjun is properly opened up.

“Relax and I will make this good for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i thought it might be good to write some from soobin's perspective to show that he approaches yeonjun as a woman, but lemme know what you guys think. should i continue writing both or focus solely on yeonjun? either way, next chapter will continue right from here with yeonjun's perspective


	4. Chapter 4

_I am going to melt._

Yeonjun’s mind is a mess. He has to focus on keeping his composure, keeping his identity hidden between his legs, all while the prince’s long and experienced fingers continue to tease him open. He’s warm and slick inside of Yeonjun, punching out tiny, silent gasps with every crook of his fingers into that spot that spreads fire through his veins.

_I am seriously losing my mind._

The worst part is that Yeonjun finds himself accepting the pleasure, not just enduring it. His hips are moving of their own accord, rocking back onto the prince’s finger in search of that heat. He’s burning—his body and mind melting, fusing into a pile of flesh and desire.

“Your reaction is nice. Are you sure this is your first time?” the prince teases from over his shoulder and Yeonjun finds himself nodding anyway, fingers and toes curling and uncurling around the dark silk sheets. He feels like a bitch in heat, a mindless slave to the pleasure Soobin’s fingers are coaxing out of him.

And the prince, Soobin, terrifies him because it’s like he enjoys taking him apart, like he wants to know every spot that has Yeonjun clenching up and struggling to keep his sanity. Although he is not the monster everyone made him out to be, Yeonjun is still waiting for the other foot to drop, for the pain he was warned he would have to endure to suddenly swallow him whole and eat him alive. But there is no pain, no malice except for that teasing smirk that never seems to leave his beautifully shaped lips. 

_Don’t think about his lips-_

“This will hurt,” he hears the prince’s voice, just now realizing that the heat from his fingers is missing and Yeonjun is open and gasping on the bed. He lifts his head, searching around frantically (for what, he’s not sure) only for his eyes to find the prince standing behind him, stroking the length of his cock and _Oh god, I’m going to die. If he doesn’t kill me with his sword, his dick is going to rip me apart._

“Don’t look at it like that. It won’t hurt for long. I’ll make it good for you,” Soobin laughs, making sure he is dripping with oil before stepping closer, letting that heavy cock rest between Yeonjun’s cheeks. 

He doesn’t even get a chance to reply in his mind before the head of Soobin’s cock is dragging over his hole, sending a violent shiver down the length of his spine. He jerks forward, only for a large hand on his slim waist to pull him back and keep him in place. His nerves are only rising, his fingers fidgeting with the sheets as he awaits the inevitable pain to take over. 

Yeonjun takes a deep breath, only for it to be suddenly punched out of him as Soobin’s cock pushes in and it’s _too big, oh my god it’s so big I’m going to die._ He tries to get away, to crawl forward on the bed to get rid of the searing pain in his ass, but the prince only holds him tighter and pushes in slower. He wants to cry out, to beg the prince to have mercy and pull out, but as always he is unable to convey his thoughts into his spoken words.

“Stay still. It will only hurt more if you fight me.”

Yeonjun can only cry silently into the sheets, burying his face in the red silk as he is spread open and pushed apart, his insides being forced to make room for Soobin’s cock. _This is what they mean when they say everything must bend to the Prince’s will. Even my body, though struggling, is being forced to obey him._

“After all that, you’re still this tight.” Soobin’s voice is strained, large fingers digging into Yeonjun’s hips so harshly they are sure to bruise. “Amazing…” 

Yeonjun squeezes his eyes shut as he feels the prince’s breath against his neck, dewy kisses being pressed down the exposed portion of his spine. He shivers, arching his back just a little to accommodate the angle of Soobin’s cock.

“Be still. I’m almost halfway in.”

_Halfway? Almost?!_

⿴

“Look at you. It’s starting to feel good, right?” the prince purrs into his ear and Yeonjun has to bite his lower lip to keep himself from lashing out and smacking the prince in his smug face. _As if this small pleasure can erase the pain of having my insides completely rearranged by your freakishly large cock._

Yeonjun is flushed from the tip of his ears down to his ass, as though his skin is trying to mimic the fire coursing through his veins. His sweat soaked bangs are stuck to his forehead and curling around his ear, each thrust sending another drop leaking onto the silk sheets.

“You act like you don’t like it, but I can feel you tightening up back here every time I whisper filthy things into your ear.” He can feel the prince’s breath against the back of his neck, his body tensing up at his words as if the universe just wanted to prove him right. He resents his body for betraying him.

“Should I touch you now? Or should I make you cum with just my cock? Do you think you can do that for me?” the prince asks, his hands reaching around Yeonjun’s body so he can tease his nipples, pinching and tugging at the swollen nubs.

Yeonjun nods despite himself, pressing his damp forehead into the bed as he begins to rock his hips back onto Soobin’s cock in desperate search of that spot, the place that makes fire spread through his limbs. 

“Look how eager you are,” Soobin coos, his voice a teasing taunt as he nips at Yeonjun’s shoulder a little too harshly. Yeonjun hisses in response, arching his back and gasping as it pushes Soobin’s cock that much deeper inside of him. He feels so violated, so full, he never knew two people could be this close, could feel each other this deeply.

“You’re so cute like this. I only wish I could hear how you sound when you lose yourself in the pleasure.”

Yeonjun thinks he hears a playful sadness in the prince’s voice, as if he truly wanted to hear Yeonjun’s moans. He finds himself wishing he could give him that, to open his mouth and tell him how good his cock feels, how he never knew it was possible to feel this much pleasure from his ass. And he almost does as Soobin suddenly grips his waist with both hands and surges forward, fucking into him with an even but unrelenting pace.

Yeonjun’s mouth falls open and he squeezes his eyes shut, stars bursting behind his eyelids. If he knew how to speak, if he could, he would be screaming because Soobin is fucking him like he owns him (and technically, he does), every thrust dragging against his prostate before pushing in so deep that he can taste Soobin in his throat. He feels the prince’s hand snaking around his waist, pressing against his belly and he’s so consumed with the heat pooling in his pelvis that he doesn’t even think about what’s hanging between his legs, the consequences sure to come if Soobin were to feel the head of his cock bouncing against his stomach. 

“Can you feel how deep I am?” Soobin whispers into his ear, licking the shell until Yeonjun is gasping and trembling in his hold. 

_Of course I can feel it, you idiot._

“I can feel my cock right here, stretching you so wide. Every time I thrust inside of you, I can feel my cock through your stomach.” Soobin removes his hand only to grab one of Yeonjun’s that was fisting the sheets, releasing his grip before placing his hand over his own stomach. “Feel it. Feel how deep we’re connected.”

Yeonjun’s entire body gives when Soobin shoves inside of him once more, the head of his cock pressing his stomach right into the palm of his hand. He shudders violently, legs tensing at the sensation before he cums onto the royal dress still draped around his waist, the only thing protecting his identity as all of the energy leaves his body. He collapses onto the mattress, trembling all over as the power of his orgasm pulses through his spent body.

Yeonjun thinks he blacked out for a moment or two. He must have, actually, because when he finally opens his eyes Soobin is laying beside him, head propped on his hand as he watches him with a careful gaze. He smiles, much too softly for a prince of his reputation, before reaching out to push damp hair away from Yeonjun’s forehead.

“You are quite beautiful, Yeonjun,” Soobin says quietly and for some reason, it makes his weak heart throb in his chest.

_It’s the first time he’s spoken my name._

“As long as I can watch you while you lose yourself in pleasure, I will be able to forgive your silence.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m not the best at writing smut but i tried sigh


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a few things to note: i pictured hwang yeji as soobin’s main wife/princess, and yeonjun is referred to as “kang yeonjun” because he is supposed to be kang chul’s daughter. hopefully that makes sense

“Madam.”

Yeonjun stirs at the sound of an unfamiliar voice but refuses to open his eyes, clinging to the last few moments of his fading dreamland where he doesn’t have to face the reality of his situation.

“Madam, please wake up. It is time to pay your respects to the Princess Consort.”

When a hand touches his shoulder, Yeonjun finally blinks awake, the memory of his dream fading into a gentle nothingness. He frowns and lifts his head, looking at the tall and strange man standing next to the bed. He pushes himself up on trembling arms, only to realize his upper body is still completely naked. He quickly grasps the silk comforter and holds it in front of his body, looking around the room in search of the prince who is nowhere to be found.

_He didn’t even spend the night._

“My name is Huening Kai. I am the prince’s servant,” the boy from before states and Yeonjun finally looks at him again, still clinging to the blanket in an effort to hide his flat chest. Huening Kai gives him a sympathetic look before lifting up a jar of cream, holding it out for Yeonjun who takes it with a trembling hand.

“I have served the prince for many years. Any time he spends the night with a woman, this medicine will find its use,” the servant explains and Yeonjun grips the jar tightly. “I carry it with me at all times. Please use it as often as possible. Otherwise, you will only experience more pain the next time he comes to visit you.”

Yeonjun frowns at that, observing the jar only to avoid making eye contact with the boy. He looks young, maybe a few years younger than himself, and he feels embarrassed being seen in such a disheveled state as this.

“Please alert me when you’re finished applying it. I will help you get dressed when you’re finished.”

Yeonjun’s eyes widen at his words and he tries to wave his hands in protest but Huening Kai is already leaving the room, sliding the door shut before standing guard outside. He can see his shadow, broad and tall, through the thin glass. 

He’s tired and his body aches, dark and unseemly bruises littering his pale skin. It wasn’t enough for the prince to take him just once, he had to continue until the sun was bleeding into the room and Yeonjun couldn’t even remember his own name. The pain, real pain, didn’t come until now, after his body had time to rest and begin healing. It hurts to stand but he does so out of sheer fear of disobeying the prince’s orders, applying the cream between his legs and even a bit inside, hissing at the disruption to his sore rim.

When he’s finished, he pulls on a slip that went under his royal robes and after he is covered, he knocks on the door to alert Huening Kai he’s ready. It takes much longer than normal to get dressed and as embarrassed as Yeonjun is to admit it, he is grateful to have such a gentle servant helping him. 

The boy handles him like glass, as if he were something precious. He brushes Yeonjun’s hair, fixes his bangs into place and ties half of his hair back so that he can apply a beautiful jade pin in the shape of a flower. His robes match the green stone, the gold metal of the pin matching the gold belt wrapped around his slim waist.

“You look beautiful, Madam,” Huening says once he is finished, holding out a mirror for Yeonjun to observe his attire. He looks like a completely different person, like a _woman_. It sends a shiver down his spine. Yeonjun gives him a small smile and nods, but remains silent.

“Let us go to the Princess Consort now,” the servant says, helping Yeonjun stand before leading him out of the room and across the prince’s courtyard. 

“I probably should not say this but...” Huening whispers and Yeonjun turns to stare up at him curiously, hands clasped together _like a proper princess_. “The Princess Consort has a reputation for being ill-tempered. It is best that you avoid displeasing her.”

Yeonjun sighs quietly and looks down at the ground, wondering how he will ever survive in this place. He was able to hide his identity from the prince his first night, but what happens the next time he comes to visit? Will he be able to keep this up? What if he angers the Princess and she sends him to his death? Will the Prince allow it?

“Please do not overthink. You are to simply give her a morning greeting,” the servant tries to reassure him. It only fails to make him more anxious.

_Yes, I am supposed to “simply” give her the one thing I cannot._

⿴

The Princess Consort is ethereal.

Yeonjun is so shocked by her beauty that he forgets to kneel until Huening Kai touches his shoulder and lowers down beside him. He quickly follows suit, kneeling with his hands on the ground before looking up in awe of the woman before him.

She has long black hair, the sides pulled back and decorated with gold hair pins and jewels. Her lips are perfectly bowed and her eyes are upturned, resembling a fox even more so than his own. Her robes are purple, dark and light shades complimenting her light complexion.

“Who is this and why is she staring at me?” The Princess Consort asks with an indignant tone, raising her lip in a sneer. It takes Yeonjun a moment to realize she is referring to him.

“Madam Yeonjun is here to pay her respect and give her morning greetings to your Highness,” Huening Kai says from beside him and Yeonjun wants to give him a thousand hugs as thanks.

“So this is Kang Yeonjun? I should have guessed from those awful robes,” the woman waves her hand and Yeonjun’s eyes narrow, though he doesn’t give her the satisfaction of a reaction. 

_It’s a shame such an ugly person has such a beautiful face._

“Besides that, what’s the point of morning greetings now? It’s almost noon. What kind of respect does that demonstrate?”

“Madam Yeji,” Huening Kai begins and Yeonjun wants to tell him to leave it alone, but as always he remains silent. “It was their wedding night last night. Madam Yeonjun was not able to rest until dawn. His Highness ordered me to let her rest.”

Yeonjun looks down when he hears Huening’s explanation, embarrassed at the thought of having stolen her husband away for the night. He hears footsteps approaching and raises his head, only for a hand to grip his hair and tug, _hard_ , sending his head flying back. He gasps, eyes wide and frightened as the woman above him glares back at him.

“So this ugly, mannerless wench is the woman my husband married,” she whispers, her cold voice making goosebumps appear on his skin. “Tell me… how many times did he make love to you last night?”

Yeonjun can do nothing but stare back at her, eyebrows furrowed and lips parted, no sound coming out. She grits her teeth at his silence, shoving him back so hard that he lands on his elbows, just barely saving his head from hitting the wooden floor.

“What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know how to speak?!” Madam Yeji yells and Yeonjun turns on his side, squeezing his eyes shut. He can’t do anything, can’t even defend himself.

_If only I wasn’t a useless mute._

“Oh my, don’t tell me…” the Princess Consort chuckles, covering her mouth as she turns away from him. “She really is a mute? What was His Highness thinking? Why would he marry such a useless woman?”

“Madam Yeji-“

“Shut up!” she yells when Huening Kai tries to speak, walking away from Yeonjun so she can return to her place at the front of the room. “She can remain on the floor for all I care. Until she opens her mouth and asks to leave, let her kneel there. No one touch her.”

Yeonjun’s eyes widen, his trembling hands pushing the weight of his body up until he is back and kneeling in front of her. He stares down at the ground, closing his eyes and wishing that someone would take mercy and let him leave.

_Will the prince care that I’m here? No, he’s already gotten what he wanted from me. He’ll leave me here to rot too._

Yeonjun sits up straight, taking a deep breath to compose himself before clasping his hands together and staring at the Princess Consort intently. 

_It’s okay if I die here. As long as my mother is safe, I won’t regret anything._


	6. Chapter 6

Yeonjun has been sitting at the Princess’s feet for what feels like hours. He knows that to be true when he sees the light from the sun beginning to fade and the lanterns around the room being lit. 

His legs have long since gone numb, his knees aching and his hands trembling as he resist the urge to unfold himself. He’s never experienced this kind of pain before. Sure, he’s been hit by Kang Chul when he disobeyed orders or didn’t complete his tasks properly. He was bullied and ridiculed by other kids in the village. He was beaten nearly to death after that traumatic night as a child… but this pain, this never ending misery of having to kneel on a wooden floor for hours has his temples damp with sweat, his fingers clenching and unclenching against his thighs.

He wonders if he’ll ever be able to stand properly after this, if feeling will ever return to his toes, when he hears rustling behind him and the horrified gasp from the guards and handmaidens surrounding the princess.

“His Highness has arrived…” someone whispers from the side and part of Yeonjun wants to look, wants the prince to see the struggle in his face, but he finds himself unable to move, the slightest shift in his weight causing an unbearable jolt of pain in his knees. So he waits, as patiently as he can.

“What is ‘she’ doing here?” the prince’s cold voice fills the room and Yeonjun freezes, afraid he’ll be the one in trouble and not the precious princess.

“Your Highness…” Madam Yeji stands from her place, walking past Yeonjun until he can no longer see the evil glint in her eyes. “It’s her first day here and she was disrespectful. I was simply teaching her some manners.” The Princess Consort’s voice is strikingly soft, as if she wasn’t the same person who threw him to the ground and humiliated him in front of everyone.

“Teaching her manners?” Yeonjun can hear the disbelief in Soobin’s voice and he instinctively lets out a sigh of relief.

_Maybe I won’t die here._

“Since your manners are so great, how exactly did she _provoke_ you?”

“W-Well… she waited until noon to give her morning greetings and used you as an excuse. And she looked at me without my permission,” the princess explains, her voice not as confident as it was moments ago.

“Anything else?”

“And what’s more, she’s actually a mute! That deceitful Kang Chul sent a mute to trick your highness-“

“I am well aware.”

“You’re aware? Then why would you marry her? Divorce her and send her back! How can a mute become the prince’s concubine-“

“Enough!” Yeonjun jumps at the sound of Soobin’s voice echoing throughout the room, the hair on his body sticking straight up in fear of what’s to come. He’s never heard someone yell that loud, never seen so many people cower and bow their heads out of sheer terror.

“Who are you to tell me what to do? You have no business managing my affairs-“

“Y-Your Highness, that wasn’t my intention…”

A smack echoes throughout the room and Yeonjun hears something land on the floor beside him. He doesn’t lift his head but he can see the princess’s purple robes out of the corner of his eye, his heart pounding in his chest. 

_He just smacked her… the princess! Imagine what he would be willing to do to me-_

Yeonjun’s thoughts are cut off when he feels a large hand on his arm, easily lifting him to his feet. He refuses to raise his head, squeezing his eyes shut as the prince tries to stand him up. His legs are useless now, his knees groaning in pain and his feet completely numb from staying in the same position for hours. 

He’s afraid he’s going to fall, fingers scrambling to find purchase in the prince’s robes before his legs can completely give out. Suddenly, warm arms are wrapped around him and he finally opens his eyes, staring at the prince’s clothed chest in surprise. He grips Soobin’s arm as the man lifts him up, clutching him to his chest with that same delicate grip he held him with last night. 

“Madam Yeji,” Soobin says coldly and Yeonjun chances a glance at the woman on the floor, holding her reddened cheek as she glares back. “This was not the first time you have touched one of my possessions but it will be the last. If you so much as touch another hair on her head, I will send you back to the palace where you belong.”

Yeonjun watches with his own sense of satisfaction as Madam Yeji’s eyes widen, her jaw tight as she nods in understanding. “Yes, Your Highness…” she relents, finally lowering her gaze.

Yeonjun rests his head on Soobin’s shoulder as he turns and carries him out of the room, letting himself finally relax.

_He actually saved me…_

⿴

The next time Yeonjun opens his eyes, he’s back in his bed and sun’s light is blinding through the glass doors.

“Ah! Madam Yeonjun, you’re awake…” Huening Kai says before appearing at his side and Yeonjun holds a hand over his face, trying to block the light from his eyes. “Oh, should I lower the curtains? Give me a second.”

Once the beaded curtains are lowered and the light in the room is dim, Yeonjun drops his hand and finally pushes himself up until he’s sitting. 

“Madam Yeonjun, don’t push yourself! You were put through a lot yesterday, just let your body rest,” Huening assures him and Yeonjun nods in agreement, looking down at his lap. His knees are still throbbing, probably bruised and a little swollen, but at least the tingling in his feet and calves has stopped. He lifts the blanket to inspect his legs, only to find bandages wrapped around them. 

He raises his head, smiling at Huening Kai before signing ‘thanks’ to him. He knows that the servant probably won’t understand, but it’s the only way he can convey his thanks.

“You’re thanking me? What for? His highness is the one who brought you back here and bandaged you up.”

Yeonjun tilts his head in surprise at this new information. The prince bandaged him up? Why? And how did Huening Kai know what he was saying? Does he know sign language?

‘Do you understand me?’ Yeonjun signed, looking up at Huening with excitement in his slanted eyes. 

The servant nods, grabbing the brush from the nightstand before he begins to brush Yeonjun’s hair. “Yes, I understand you. My grandmother was deaf, so I had to learn sign language at a young age,” the boy explains and Yeonjun can’t help the smile that graces his lips.

‘Did the prince really help me?’

When the brush in his hair stops, Yeonjun turns his head and looks up at Kai with furrowed brows. “I do not want to hurt you feelings, Madam Yeonjun… but His Highness only saved you because he does not like when others touch his possessions. Please do not get lost in the delusion that he cares for you. I am saying this for your own sake.”

Yeonjun can’t help the way those words pierce his heart, the smile disappearing from his lips. He looks down, nodding silently as Kai resumes brushing his hair. 

_Why am I so upset? I know that he would never care for someone like me… it just hurts to be constantly reminded of it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as i said in the tags... soobin is an asshole so don't get too attached to his character yet


	7. Chapter 7

Normally, Soobin would be irritated to find one of his wives asleep when he enters their bedroom. Yet he cannot bring himself to be upset as he observes Yeonjun’s sleeping face, dark hair falling carelessly into her face as the light of the moon enhances the cool complexion of her skin. 

He lifts his hand and brushes it against her smooth cheek, not a single blemish marring her beautiful skin. He pushes a few dark strands out of the way, admiring such effortless beauty.

A small breath escapes those perfect lips and Soobin traces his finger along the seam of her mouth, leaning down with the intention of feeling those lips against his own. He pauses when Yeonjun’s eyes flutter open, dark brown pools blinking up at him in shock. Soobin sits back, his own cheeks flushed at the idea of being caught trying to sneak a kiss from the sleeping beauty.

“I’m sorry. I did not mean to wake you,” he apologizes swiftly, removing his hand from Yeonjun’s face before standing up from the bed. He’s about to take his leave when he feels a gentle grasp on his wrist and he turns to see those delicate fingers wrapped around him before looking to pleading eyes.

“Are you asking me to stay?” Soobin asks carefully, lowering himself back down to the bed. Yeonjun’s face grows warm, cheeks and ears red and hot to the touch as she nods.

“Then I shall stay,” he declares, taking his shoes off before maneuvering himself against the headboard and allowing Yeonjun rest her head in his lap. “Are you comfortable?” he asks, waiting for her to nod before lowering a hand to her hair, running his fingers through the long strands.

“Rest then,” he whispers, massaging her scalp and watching as her eyes slip shut obediently. 

_ I have never seen such unequivocal perfection. Maybe her silence is the price for such a beautiful face. _

⿴

The next day, Prince Soobin finds himself practicing Taekwondo in the courtyard. His martial arts master, Sihyuk, is away at the camps, training their new soldiers and leaving Soobin to his usual routine. He was taking a rest (now that he was alone, he was allowed to rest as he pleased) when he heard rustling from behind him. 

He immediately jumped up, ready to get into stance until he noticed familiar green robes of peeking out from behind the trees.

“You know, it’s not wise to sneak up on a man in training,” Soobin says, wiping the sweat from his brow before standing up straight and approaching the girl still hidden behind the leaves. He watches as Yeonjun steps closer as well, a laugh falling past his lips unintentionally when he sees a few branches and leaves stuck in her dark hair.

“How long have you been out here watching me?” he asks, helping her take the leaves out of her hair before crowding her against the trunk of the tree. He raises his hands, resting them on either side of her head to bracket her in. She smiles a bit, looking up at him with a sort of bashful expression that makes Soobin’s stomach curl with excitement.

“Did you come here to distract me?”

Yeonjun shakes her head innocently, still staring up at him with those cat-like eyes that drive him crazy. 

“It’s not good to lie, you know,” the prince whispers, grabbing her chin and gently tilting her head forward, tracing his finger along that plump lower lip he never got to kiss last night. Yeonjun watches him, eyes framed by soft lashes that flutter closed when she presses a sweet kiss to the tip of his thumb. Soobin shivers before leaning down and pressing their mouths together, no longer able to restrain himself. He kisses her eagerly, fueled by the faint grip she has on his arms.

He kisses her until his lungs are desperate for air, until the only thing on his mind is the memory of how she felt wrapped around him, the tight heat sucking him in over and over again that first night. He grabs her hips, pressing her against the tree firmly before grinding his cock against the flat expanse of her stomach. Yeonjun gasps into his mouth, pulling away and panting as she stares up at him with those swollen lips and big eyes.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to deny my touch again?” he asks with a frown, furrowing his eyebrows in further confusion as she slips out of his grip before urging him to turn around and lean against the tree. Soobin watches with aroused curiosity as she kneels down into the grass, careless of her gown, and begins to work at the cloth pants containing his aching cock.

“This is what you wanted?” He trails a finger along her jaw, the thought of having her mouth wrapped around him sending a jolt to his groin. His interest in her is growing ever more intense with every second they spend together, the need to touch and protect and cherish becoming harder to ignore. 

And so he does the only thing he knows how to do.

When his pants are finally lowered and her lips are wrapped around the head of his cock, sucking and licking and worshipping like it’s the best thing she’s ever tasted, he grips her hair tight and shoves deeper into her mouth, owning and taking like he does everything else in his life. “I didn’t know this useless mouth of yours was so gifted,” he grunts into the cool air, feeling her nails digging into his thighs as she takes whatever he gives to her.

If his words hurt, she doesn’t make it known.

⿴

“Your Highness, we heard that you married the Kang Village’s number one beauty, Kang Chul’s daughter. Why isn’t she present today?”

Soobin narrows his eyes at the Assistant General and other court officials gathered around the table closest to his throne. “‘She’ is not well. She’s been resting in her quarters all day.”

“Oh, give it up, Your Highness! You just can’t bear for us to see her, can you?”

“I heard you keep that beauty locked away in your little luxurious mansion so no one can lay eyes on her!”

“It’s the End of The Year Feast! Shouldn’t both of your wives be here?”

Soobin grits his teeth at the spectacle these men have created, heads turning with peaked interest for the prince’s response to their allegations. He forces out a laugh, waving his hand to dismiss their words.

“Why would I keep her locked away? It’s not like ‘she’ is anything special,” he hums, turning to Huening Kai who has been standing at his side obediently. “Go invite Yeonjun to join us,” he commands, unable to conceal the frown on his lips as his servant nods obediently and exits the banquet room.

_ If she is smart, she will decline the invitation. _


	8. Chapter 8

“Madam.”

Yeonjun looks up from the bracelet he’s been weaving at the sound of Huening Kai’s voice, eyes widening at the sight of him.

‘You should be at dinner,’ he signs quickly, to which the taller boy only nods before walking closer until he is standing beside the bed. 

“His Highness is inviting you to attend the banquet,” Kai tells him slowly, looking down at the half-finished bracelet resting in Yeonjun’s hands. 

_ The prince is inviting me to the banquet? For what purpose? Why would someone as low as me, the prince’s concubine, be invited to the banquet? _

“If you do not wish to go, you may claim that you are not well,” Kai says carefully but Yeonjun quickly shakes his head. He places the bracelet down onto his nightstand before rising from the bed and signing, ‘I want to go. I will change into something more suitable.’

⿴

When Huening Kai returns to the banquet room with Yeonjun at his side, the entire hall grows silent upon their entrance. His hanbok is a mix of white, cream, and gold layers, the jewels in his hair matching the elegantly stitched pattern of his lace jacket. His bangs are still out, having grown since his arrival, dark strands framing his pretty face and accentuating the rosy flush of his cheeks.

“Too beautiful for words…” someone whispers from beside them but Yeonjun pays no mind, his eyes trained on the prince sitting in dark robes across the room. He’s the most beautiful man Yeonjun has ever laid eyes on, his breath catching in his throat as he meets the prince’s dark gaze.

Huening Kai leads him forward until he is standing before the prince and he carefully kneels down, hands to the floor to show his respect, before lifting his head to meet the prince’s eyes once more.

“His Highness is truly blessed,” the Assistant General mutters, eyes never leaving Yeonjun’s face.

“Such a person should only exist in stories! How is it that she has appeared among us mortals?”

“He has the entire south in his control and this beauty on his arm! He will truly be a Great King!”

Yeonjun finds himself blushing at their words, which only makes the prince’s gaze grow colder towards him. He swallows the lump in his throat as Soobin motions for him to rise to his feet once more, his heart racing.

“Perhaps Madam Yeonjun should dance or sing for us,” another man suggests and Yeonjun’s eyes widen, trying to gauge Soobin’s reaction only to find an empty gaze staring back at him.

“Do you know how to dance?” Soobin asks with a condescending edge to his voice. 

_ I don’t understand why he’s angry with me. Did he figure it out? Does he know that I’m lying about who I am? _

Yeonjun just nods once, feeling like he has no other choice than to obey. He glances at the prince one last time before turning to Huening Kai, grabbing the handle of his sword and pulling it free from its scabbard. He notices the look of surprise on Soobin’s face and smiles to himself, running his fingers along the edge of the sword to get a feel for its weight and density. 

_ I won’t mess this up. I will dance perfectly and the prince will smile at me again. _

Without music to lead him, Yeonjun closes his eyes and allows his memory to be his guide. It’s been years since he practiced sword dancing, since before his father died, but that old man always told him he had a gift for it and now he could share that gift with Soobin. He could prove that he wasn’t just a useless mute.

As he begins, it’s as if he’s been put into a trance. His eyes remain closed as he runs through the motions easily, every extension of his arm and every twirl perfectly aligned just how it used to be. He dances as though the music was coming from inside of him, as though the rhythm was pulsing through his veins.

“What a lovely dance…” someone whispers.

“She resembles a divine fairy,” another comments.

“I’ve never seen a woman sword dance before. What a sight.”

When Yeonjun finishes his dance, he pauses for a moment before lowering his sword and turning to face the prince as he attempts to catch his breath. He bows his head respectfully before holding the sword back out to Huening Kai, who takes it with careful hands. The tables around them erupt in cheer and praise and Yeonjun can’t help but grin, proud of himself for not missing a single beat of his own internal song. 

However, when he raises his head to the prince’s throne, he finds both Soobin and Princess Yeji both glaring back at him as if he were the scum of the earth. One set of eyes holding fury and anger, the other holding disgust and contempt. He’s not sure which emotions belong to whom.

“Was that supposed to impress me?” Soobin scoffs, his lip upturned in a way that makes Yeonjun’s stomach cower with fear. “A woman doing a sword dance? What a disgrace… Get out of my sight!”

Yeonjun’s eyes widen with every word spat in his face, his shoulders curling inward as he lowers his gaze and nods obediently, trying to hold back tears. 

_ I don’t understand… What did I do wrong? Just yesterday he was all over me and today… Oh god, he must have figured it out. He knows that I’m a man and he’s angry that I deceived him. But why hasn’t he killed me yet? He must not want to embarrass himself by revealing my truth to everyone… _

“Madam,” Kai’s calm voice interrupts his internal breakdown, grabbing Yeonjun’s elbow before leading him out of the room and away from hungry and sympathetic eyes. 

“Let’s get you back to your room. We don’t want to upset His Highness further.” Yeonjun can only nod silently, sniffling as tears begin to fall.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a warning that this chapter includes some verbal/physical abuse

_ How dare she?  _

_ She never told me she could dance like this.  _ _ It seems as though my pet is starved for attention… _

Soobin was lost in thought, his anger practically seeping into the air. The entire banquet hall was quiet, low mutterings and whispers among them but none daring to question his outburst.

They were right the first time around. He doesn’t want anyone’s eyes on Yeonjun, doesn’t want anyone to see the beauty he keeps locked away for his own pleasure. Because they’ll look at her with dangerous and lustful eyes, just as they did when she paraded herself around the banquet room. 

The prince clenches his hand into a fist before rising from his throne, giving a short departure speech before exiting the hall without a single glance back. If he had to spend another minute with those men who thirsted after Yeonjun, who looked at her as if they were undressing her with their eyes, he would have gone insane.

Hell, he’s not so sure he hasn’t already.

His guards follow a couple feet behind, worried about angering him further, and he silently appreciates the space. He’s ready to explode, to punch the next thing that so much as looks out of place to him. And when he arrives at his quarters, sliding the door open and closed as a silent message for his guards to leave him for the night, he takes a deep breath and tells himself to relax. That is until he sees the source of his anger kneeling at his feet, head bowed like a dumb servant.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, his voice filled with such bitterness and disgust that it even surprises himself. He watches as Yeonjun raises her head and looks at him with those big, and now puffy, eyes. 

_ I will not be moved by tears. _

Yeonjun begins to wave her hands, making strange symbols that he does not understand with her long fingers. It only angers him further, so he kicks her hands away with his boot, glaring at the woman beneath him. She gasps in surprises and falls backwards, hiding her hands.

“Is this your way of begging for my forgiveness? To come kneeling at my feet?” The prince finds himself yelling before he can think rationally about the situation. He watches her scramble away from him and kneels down, grabbing her by the throat before dragging her forward so that their faces are mere inches apart.

When met with more silence, Soobin can feel himself beginning to unravel. “Speak! I know you are not that dumb! Why did you dance in front of those men? Who gave you permission to show yourself off like that?” His fingers tighten around Yeonjun’s neck, her hands scrambling to loosen his grip as she gasps for air.  It’s only when he sees her eyes beginning to lose focus and her face become red that he finally releases her and throws her back to ground, standing up with the same sneer on his lips that his wife had held just days prior.

“Do you have a death wish?” he asks quietly, watching her cough as he brushes away the dirt from his robes, “Because I will gladly fulfill it.” Yeonjun looks up at him with wide, horrified eyes and shakes her head, jewels and robes now in disarray. 

“If you do not wish to die, get out,” he mutters, turning away from his second bride. He steps past her, headed for his desk, only to be stopped by a tug at his gown. He looks down to see Yeonjun holding onto him and he grits his teeth, kicking her hand away much more harshly than intended. 

“Are you deaf?” he shouts, gripping a chunk of dark hair before tugging the girl to her feet, watching her face contort in pain.  He stares at her for a moment before chuckling, the sound twisted and dark coming from his lips.  “You must want to die. Is death that exciting to you? Do you want to be free from me that bad?” 

He knows that his questions are rhetorical, that he won’t receive an answer, but her silence is driving him crazy. So he continues talking, just to get it out before it destroys him.  He pulls Yeonjun close, releasing her hair so he can grab her face harshly, squishing her soft skin between his fingers. 

“You may want to die but I will never allow it. You belong to me. Everything. Your face, your body, these clothes, it all belongs to me.”

_ You are mine. I will never let you leave me. _


	10. Chapter 10

_ I’m not dead,  _ are the first words to appear in Yeonjun’s mind as he begins to return to consciousness 

“Dear god,” someone mutters in the dark and Yeonjun stirs at the sound but makes no other indication that he’s awake. His eyes are struggling to open, his lips slowly parting as he feels a hand pushing hair out of his face.

“Madam Yeonjun. Please wake up.”

It’s Huening Kai. Yeonjun finds himself smiling despite the pain radiating through his bones. He can’t seem to move anything other than his head, lifting it just barely so he can finally force his eyes to open.

“Oh thank god,” Kai sighs in relief, continuing to smooth a hand through his hair before hesitantly resting it on his shoulder. “I thought he… nevermind.”

_ I thought he was going to kill me too. _

“We should get you a bath. Yes, definitely a bath. And some clean clothes,” Kai says, his voice soft and coaxing. Yeonjun can only shake his head, struggling to lift his hand so he can manage to sign, ‘Can’t move.’ As he does so, he catches sight of the dark finger-shaped bruises ruining his once perfect complexion, a silent sob ready to slip past his lips as he remembers the night before.

Huening Kai must have noticed them too (how could he miss them?) because he gasps in horror and gently grasps his arm, caressing his marred skin. “What did he do to you…?” his voice trails off, as if the servant is lost in thought.

Yeonjun lifts his arm away from Kai’s grip and struggles to roll himself onto his back, but once he does he let’s out a shaky breath and just allows himself to sink into the mattress. He makes no effort to hide his flat chest or his broad shoulders, simply observing the dark blotches that seem to stain every inch of his body.

_ You belong to me.  _

Soobin’s voice echoes in his ear and he clenches his eyes shut, raising a hand to his face as he tries to conceal the tears threatening to spill. 

_ He made sure to leave his mark. I don’t even recognize my own body. _

“Do you see now why I told you not to fall for his delusions? He marked you like an animal…”

‘Please stop,’ Yeonjun managed to sign without opening his eyes before throwing his arm over his face, the movement causing his body to throb in protest. Muscles that he didn’t even know existed were aching, constant and painful throbbing extending down the entire length of his body.

“I am sorry. Forgive me, Madam,” Kai sighs, standing up properly before bowing his head. “I will prepare your bath now.”

⿴

It’s been three days since and though his bruises have healed quite easily thanks to whatever medicine Huening Kai applies for him, his mind is still a mess. Yeonjun is in no rush to see his prince again and he has a feeling that the same can be said for Soobin as well.

It’s not even the pain that haunts him. He’s experienced real pain, much more than a few muscle aches and a sore ass. No, it’s the way Soobin looked at him as he held him. It was the anger and disgust and hatred he saw in those eyes as he was taken over and over again, allowing himself to be used and marked as if it would change the look in Soobin’s eyes.

In the end, Soobin could barely look at him and left the room without a single word, as if he couldn’t stand the sight of him. Yeonjun cried himself to sleep that night, and every night since, wondering what he could do to make Soobin look at him the way he did before. When he smiled or laughed, even that devilish smirk was better than the cold gaze he was last met with.

Yeonjun was working on weaving another bracelet, the last one discarded after his shaky fingers messed up too many knots, when a knock on his door causes his hands to stop moving. He expects to see Huening Kai when he looks up but when the door slides open, someone much taller and much more terrifying in Yeonjun’s eyes stands in his place.

“I see you’re enjoying yourself,” the prince mutters quietly, sliding the door shut behind him before his large feet carry him towards the bed. Yeonjun watches with wide eyes, his body frozen in terror as he awaits the prince’s cold gaze and predatory hands.

“What’s the matter? Do you no longer wish to see me?” Soobin asks, his voice wavering with something Yeonjun can’t quite place. He looks up instinctively, shaking his head so quickly his neck hurts from the movement.

He watches as Soobin kneels down onto the bed beside him, a small gasp escaping his lips as those large fingers find their way into his hair, scratching at his scalp gently. He melts into the touch despite his trembling body, his eyes sliding shut for a moment as he allows himself to appreciate the prince’s kindness.

“Look at me.”

Yeonjun, as always, obeys. His eyes flutter open before he gazes up at the prince, his heart stuttering at the fierceness behind the prince’s eyes. He unconsciously leans closer, wanting to absorb every ounce of warmth the prince is willing to spare him. He never wants Soobin to look at him with that cold gaze again.

_ Have I always been so pathetic? I guess so. _

“What do you want?” Soobin’s face contorts as he grabs Yeonjun’s shoulder and shoves him down onto the bed, climbing over him so every inch of his healing body is completely covered by the prince’s larger one. “From the gates of heaven to bottom of the deepest sea, I will give you anything you want.”

Yeonjun frowns, cowering in fear despite the words being spoken to him. He doesn’t understand what the prince is asking, what he’s requesting of him, and he can’t respond either way.

“It’s fine even if you can’t speak. If you want something, tell Huening Kai to write it down tomorrow. I will give you whatever you ask,” Soobin declares, his touch much too delicate for the fire hiding behind his eyes. Yeonjun closes his eyes, leaning into the long fingers caressing his cheek and shivering at the contrast between this prince above him and the one from the banquet hall. “Just promise me that you will never dance for anyone else ever again. Promise me that you will never look at anyone else with those eyes.”

Yeonjun blushes, blinking up at the prince in confusion at his sudden outburst. He was sure that the prince hated him, his eyes conveyed had every negative thought he held towards Yeonjun, but now he’s declaring that he will give him anything he wants.

_ It doesn’t make any sense. _

“Will you belong to me? Yes or no?” 

Yeonjun stares at Soobin, at the gentle curve of his lips and his fierce eyes, waiting for him to give himself over completely. He doesn’t even take a moment to think before he nods, reaching up with shaky hands so he can hesitantly grab the prince’s face. 

“That’s right,” Soobin chuckles, a smirk finally gracing his beautiful lips as he leans down and kisses Yeonjun breathless. He hadn’t realized how much he’s missed the prince’s touch or how gentle he could be when he was in a good mood. When the prince lowers himself to his ear, Yeonjun shivers at the words whispered to him. 

“As long as you serve me well, I will treat you favorably.”

⿴

That night, despite his words, the prince didn’t lay a hand on him. He sat against the headboard as he had many nights ago and allowed Yeonjun to sleep in his lap, stroking his hair and this time, singing a gentle lullaby that had his eyes slipping shut within seconds. In that moment, Yeonjun found himself falling into the delusion that maybe the prince felt something more than just possession for him. 

Yeonjun’s body, despite the fading bruises, was perfectly able to handle another night with the prince and yet he restrained himself and held him while he slept. That had to mean something right?

However, those thoughts were soon wiped clean from his mind when Yeonjun awoke to an empty bed and the moon’s light still shining through the beaded curtains. He was unable to hide his disappointment, wrapping his arms around his waist before curling in on himself, shivering from the cold and the loneliness that seemed to grip at his heart and squeeze.

And for the fourth night in a row, Yeonjun silently cries himself to sleep. This time though, there were no shuddering breaths or body-wracking sobs, just quiet tears spilling down the sides of his face and dripping onto his silk pillow.

When the sun rises and Huening Kai raises the curtains, Yeonjun is informed that the prince was suddenly called to the emperor’s palace as news of a planned invasion spread through the land. He is also informed that Prince Soobin, The Great General of the South, will not be returning for at least a few days. 

As he takes his morning bath, he wonders idly how he will spend his time alone. It seems Yeonjun forgot who else remained at the prince’s manor with him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another warning, this chapter contains poison and mentions of blood. sorry its so rushed but im not really good with gore so my stomach hurt while writing this lmao

It’s Prince Soobin’s fourth day at the Emperor’s palace when Yeonjun is ambushed in his room, a cloth damp with chemicals placed over his nose and mouth, blurring his senses. He loses his consciousness just seconds later, only to awake half an hour later to the princess’s shrill voice piercing his ears.

“Didn’t I tell you not to leave any marks? You stupid cow!” The princess hisses, slapping her servant in retaliation for the scratch she left on Yeonjun’s face. The same face that’s been seducing her husband and bewitching him every night, keeping him from his rightful place at her side.

“I am sorry, your highness.”

“Shut up,” Madam Yeji rolls her eyes before gripping a handful of Yeonjun’s hair and tilting the girl’s head back, watching as her mouth opens and closes but makes no noise.

“What a disgusting, useless mute,” she mutters, pushing the girl onto the ground and kicking her side so she rolls onto her back. “What does that bastard see in her? She’s not even that beautiful…”

“It must be an enchantment, your highness. It is the only explanation,” one of her handmaidens speaks up, two of them grabbing Madam Yeonjun’s arms before forcing her back up onto her feet.

“Then we must get rid of her enchantment,” Yeji smirks, turning to Sujin and taking the small bottle from her outstretched hands. 

Yeonjun finally manages to pry his eyes open in time to see the princess unscrewing the cap of the bottle, immediately beginning to struggle in the arms holding him.

“Keep her still! She needs to swallow every drop,” the princess demands and Yeonjun shakes his head desperately, turning his head only for it to be forced straight by a third set of hands. “She’s stronger than she looks… definitely the work of an enchantress.”

Yeonjun furrows his eyebrows as his mouth is pried open, watching in horror as she brings the purple vial to his lips and messily pours it into his mouth. His jaw is held shut before he can even think of spitting it out, Yeji holding his nose shut and waiting until he swallow before finally allowing him to breathe. He coughs as the disgusting liquid slides down his throat, his body trembling against the women restraining him.

_ What the hell did she give me? _

“Don’t worry, Yeonjun, this won’t kill you,” Yeji sneers, screwing the cap of the vial back on before handing it to short, stout woman beside her. “But it will make this body just as useless as that mouth of yours. You’ll be in so much pain that you won’t be able to lift a finger, and my husband will see how little you have to offer.”

The princess grabs his chin and forces his head up so he is looking into her cold eyes, fear pumping through his blood from her words. “You should have left when I gave you the chance. Now, I  am going to make you wish you were dead.”

⿴

By the time Yeonjun is returned to his bed that night, his stomach has already begun to cramp and he feels like insides are being ripped apart. He attempts to drink some water, only for it to come back up in a brutal coughing fit that has him curling up on the floor, desperate to relieve the pain slowly eating him alive.

He can’t call out to anyone, can barely move no less search for help, so he musters up the last of his strength and stumbles into bed, his face pale and covered with sweat. He doesn’t know how long he lies there, writhing in pain, only knows that with every second that passes, the princess is proven right.

_ Death would be better than this. _

This kind of pain, the pain that he can’t see and leaves no evidence, it’s most definitely the worst kind of pain he’s ever felt. It feels like someone stuck ten thousand knives in his stomach and began cutting in every direction, slicing every organ and muscle in sight. 

He finally loses consciousness a few hours later, curled up in the same position, not because the pain subsided but because of pure exhaustion. 

⿴

The pain somehow manages to feel ten times worse than it was before he fell asleep. Waking up to his organs being corroded away by an unknown poison has him shrinking in on himself, eyes clenched shut and his frail body trembling so violently he doesn’t even register the presence in the bed beside him.

He barely acknowledges the touch to his neck, jolting away when a hand lands on his side. He feels like he’ll explode, swollen to the touch like his organs have become nothing but mush, just waiting to erupt and spill from the seams.

“What is it? Are you afraid of me?” 

It’s the prince. Yeonjun recognizes his voice, but he can’t even manage to open his eyes, let alone give him a response. He simply tries to curl further in on himself, clenching his stomach in hopes that somehow the pain will eventually subside.

It doesn’t.

“Look at me! Have you forgotten your place already?” The prince’s large and familiar hands grip his shoulders and force him onto his back, the sudden jostling of his stomach causing his throat to lurch. 

He finally,  _ finally _ , manages to pry his eyes open wide enough to look up at Soobin, a surprising sense of comfort washing over him at the sight of his face.

_ He came back. I can die peacefully now. _

“Yeonjun? What’s the matter?” The prince’s voice is now concerned and Yeonjun lets his eyes fall shut, coughing violently when he feels liquid pooling in his throat. Once he starts, he can’t stop, his body violently forcing more and more blood out of his mouth until he feels like he’s drenched in it.

His consciousness begins to fade once again, but this time feels different. This time he sees light instead of darkness.

_ What a tragic way to die. In the arms of my husband, drenched in my own blood. I wonder what he’ll think when he discovers what I’ve been hiding from him this whole time…  _


	12. Chapter 12

“What’s the rush? Has the prince tortured another one of his concubines to death?” 

Beomgyu, the imperial physician, rolls his eyes as he follows Huening Kai to the room reserved for medicine and healing. “I mean honestly… calling me here in the middle of the night! What does he expect me to do? He should mind his behavior if he expects his slaves to survive more than a couple months.”

“Madam Yeonjun is… different,” Kai says quietly, stopping once they are outside of the infirmary. The golden lanterns from within illuminate the shadows of the people in the room, visible through the glass doors. 

“You will see.”

As Huening Kai slides the doors open, the physician is surprised to see the prince sitting to the side of a large futon. “His Highness is also here?” Beomgyu asks in surprise, sliding the doors closed behind him before stepping closer to the prince and his concubine.

“What a doting husband~” he teases, though there is nothing playful in his tone as he pauses to observe the woman laying on the futon. She looks horrid, skin ghostly white and covered in a thick layer of sweat. He can see her trembling even from here, and realizes death must be holding her hand already. “Looking after this young beauty even though your actions are responsible for her being here. What a commendable man.”

“Tsk,” the prince grits his teeth, glaring at the slender form of their imperial physician as he kneels down on the opposite side of the futon. “Stop talking and save her,” he demands, releasing his hold on Yeonjun’s hand.

“Demanding as always,” Beomgyu mutters under his breath, ignoring the prince’s glare as he reaches up to push the damp hair out of Yeonjun’s face. 

“Don’t!” Soobin snaps, halting Beomgyu’s movements so he can look up at the prince. “Don’t touch her…”

“Are you stupid?”

“What?” Soobin scoffs, affronted. 

Beomgyu rolls his eyes at the man’s antics before placing his hand on Yeonjun’s forehead defiantly. “I am a physician. I have to touch her. Now are you going to keep wasting precious time or will you shut up and allow me to do my job?”

“I should have your head for speaking to me like that,” Soobin’s jaw clenches but he makes no move to fulfill his threat, motioning with his hand for Beomgyu to continue. 

He raises a hand above Yeonjun’s mouth, feeling little to no breath being expelled from those chapped lips that look to be stained with blood. His frown only grows deeper as he lowers his hand to Yeonjun’s neck so he can check the pulse, observing the way her skin glistens with sweat as she swallows weakly. 

Still alive, then. 

That’s when Beomgyu notices the adam’s apple sitting at the crown of her, or his, throat, a hum of understanding leaving his lips. Madam Yeonjun is actually not a Madam at all. 

“Your Highness, may I ask you question?” Beomgyu pulls his hand away from Yeonjun’s neck before sitting up straight and staring at the prince across from him.

“Just ask,” Soobin sighs impatiently, watching him with fierce eyes.

“How often do you do it with him?”

Soobin stares at Beomgyu for a moment before returning his gaze to Yeonjun’s pale and colorless face. “Hm… usually every night until dawn,” he explains simply before meeting Beomgyu’s eyes once more. “But I haven’t been home in four days. And before that… it’s been at least a full week since we’ve done it.”

“A week,” Beomgyu considers under his breath, looking back down at Yeonjun before taking the boy’s hands into his own and observing. He’s much too thin for someone of his height, his skin pulled taut over frail bones. “I’d advise you to limit yourself from now on. This pretty little thing is way too fragile to keep up with your libido,” he explains, placing Yeonjun’s hand back down over his stomach before rising to his feet.

“Have you been giving him the supplements I told you about?”

“I make sure Madam Yeonjun takes them every morning,” Kai supplies from the corner and Beomgyu nods gratefully. 

“Well, that’s great and all, but they won’t do him any good now. He might look fine on the outside, but he seems to be falling apart on the inside,” Beomgyu explains reluctantly, shooting the young boy on the futon a sympathetic look before turning to glare at Soobin. “If you wish to keep your possessions safe, you should handle them with care. This poor beauty already has one foot in the grave and your careless nights with him have only pushed him there faster!”

Soobin simply shakes his head, rising to his feet as well before grabbing the physician by the collar of his robe and tugging him forward until he’s struggling to balance himself on his toes. “I haven’t touched her in a week. There is something wrong with her and you will figure it out,” he threatens the smaller boy.

Beomgyu simply nods, relenting. “Alright, puppy. Let me down,” he narrows his eyes, waiting for the prince to release the grip on his undercoat before flicking his forehead. “Touch me again and I’ll leave without a single glance back,” he threatens back, waiting for Soobin’s nod before adjusting his clothes and returning to Yeonjun’s side.

“Can you save her?” Soobin asks quietly, kneeling down on the boy’s other side.

“There’s no man or woman I cannot save,” Beomgyu whispers, carefully observing Yeonjun’s mouth and throat, before lowering his gaze to his chest. “I am going to open his robes. Is that okay?”

He can see the tightening of Soobin’s jaw and his hands clenching in his lap, but the prince nods despite himself and allows him to continue. “If you must…”

Beomgyu carefully unwraps the boy’s robes, watching the way his flat chest rises and falls shallowly, shiny and damp with perspiration. As he moves the fabric further apart, he notices a small purple stain on the white undercoat of his hanbok. He leans down, ignoring Soobin’s verbal protests as he sniffs the stain, eyes widening before sitting up. 

“Larkspur…” he whispers quietly, raising his head to look at Soobin accusingly. “Really, Your Highness? What did you expect to happen if you’ve been poisoning him with larkspur?”

“What?!”

“I have put up with you for a long time, Your Highness, but this has gone far enough. You dare use a deadly poison on your own concubine just to keep him still and pliant? Do you have any idea what makes Larkspur cause paralysis? It’s the unbearable pain that makes its victims unable to move and you use it for own selfish fantasies-“

“Enough!” The prince yells, standing up so he can glare at Beomgyu. “I have no idea what you are talking about but I would never poison her!”

“Do not try to deny it now, my prince. My eyes do not deceive me!”

Soobin stares at the physician with blazing eyes before deciding to give up this useless fight. Beomgyu will not believe he isn’t the administer of this poison and he will waste no more time trying to prove himself.

“Can it be cured?” he asks quietly, returning to his seat by Yeonjun’s side.

Beomgyu watches, surprised by the prince’s lack of fight, before shaking his head. “There is no cure,” he whispers, grabbing his case from Huening Kai before setting it down by Yeonjun’s side and opening it carefully. “I can only ease the symptoms. If the dose was low enough, he will survive.”

“Get on with it then.”

Beomgyu works quickly to prepare an oral medicine, hoping to suppress the pain this beauty must be suffering even in his lack of consciousness. When he is finished, he pours the mixture into a bowl before turning his attention to Huening Kai.

“Here. He will need to eat this every two hours until the symptoms go away. I will prepare more-“

“Give it to me,” Soobin interrupts the physician, taking the bowl from his hands before waving his hand at them. “Continue preparing the rest. You may leave, Kai.”

Beomgyu watches with wide eyes as the prince lowers the bowl to Yeonjun’s chapped lips, parting them gently before pouring a small amount onto his tongue. “Swallow,” he commands gently, unintentionally stroking Yeonjun’s chin when the boy furrows his eyebrows and contorts his face. 

_ I see. Prince Soobin is… falling for him? _

“What are you still doing here? Get out!” Soobin snaps, glaring at Huening Kai who bows quickly before excusing himself and slipping out of the room. He knows who is behind poisoning Yeonjun, and he also knows that Kai was supposed to protect Yeonjun while he was away and he failed greatly at that.

“I’ve never seen you care for someone like this…” Beomgyu states quietly, already in the process of making another batch of medicine.

_ That’s because I have never cared for anyone as I care for Yeonjun,  _ Soobin thinks, keeping those thoughts for himself as he continues to slowly feed Yeonjun, trying to stop his hand from shaking as he holds the bowl. When Yeonjun lost consciousness, his mouth and neck covered in his own blood, Soobin realized that he almost lost something very precious to him. 

_ You are not allowed to die. I will not let you. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just to clarify because i know it's probably confusing, beomgyu knows that yeonjun is a male and refers to him using male pronouns. the reason no one reacts is because in korean, pronouns are rarely used when spoken and when they are, they are usually interchangeable and similar in sound for men and women. i hope that makes sense!


	13. Chapter 13

It’s been two long days since he lost consciousness and even in his dreams, Yeonjun can feel the pain slowly subsiding. He’s not sure whether he’s alive or dead, lost in a limbo state between resting and waking. 

Occasionally, he hears the prince’s voice and an unfamiliar one, and sometimes he can even feel the ghost of a hand caressing his face, stroking his hair the same way his prince used to do while he slept. He finds himself unconsciously leaning into the gentle touch, though the rest of him remains still as his body works on ridding itself of the remaining poison.

When he finally wakes, his body is no longer in excruciating pain and he feels like he can properly breathe again. He takes a deep breath before his eyes flutter open, the sun’s light stinging as it travels through the beaded curtains. He closes his eyes again and inhales deeply, pressing his nose into the warm fabric that smells of the prince. It makes his heart race and he nuzzles into the warmth, gripping the dark cloth in his hands to keep it close. 

“You really do resemble a cat,” someone laughs and Yeonun’s eyes dart open, his fingers pausing as he realizes just where his head is resting. He’s slept on the prince’s lap too many times not to recognize those strong thighs, a blush rising to his cheeks at the thought of being caught nuzzling into his leg like a…  _ like a cat _ .

“What? Are you still afraid of me?” Soobin asks, his voice warm and teasing without a hint of malice.

Yeonjun slowly raises his head, unable to keep the small smile from gracing his lips at the sight of His Highness. Even in the morning, with his robes and hair disheveled from the night’s rest, he looks beautiful. Yeonjun thinks he looks best like this, with his dark bangs falling into his face, nearly covering his eyes, and a smile on his curved lips.

Yet, as beautiful as he looks, Yeonjun is still terrified.  _ Of course I am afraid of you. If I don’t please you, who knows what you’ll do to me. _

Soobin watches him with those dark, considering eyes before grabbing Yeonjun’s arms and easily maneuvering him until he’s seated upright in the prince’s lap. He blushes at their position, resting his hands on Soobin’s chest and averting his gaze down to the royal blue cloth falling open enough to expose his sharp collar bones and broad chest. Yeonjun has the sudden urge to kiss the spot between his breasts.

“You haven’t left my side in two days and yet I’ve missed you,” the prince whispers, making Yeonjun’s head dart up to gauge his sincerity.

_ He missed me? Two days? What happened? _

“Hey! You better not be trying to do it again so soon after recovering!”

Yeonjun jumps at the sound of an unfamiliar voice, turning in Soobin’s lap and cowering against him at the sight of a strange man. He has a handsome face, with dark brown hair and big eyes, watching them like a fox.

“Need I remind you of the past few days we spent trying to keep this beauty alive? Even with my medical practice, I can only save ‘him’ so many times. No touching until Yeonjun is fully recovered,” the smaller man declares and Yeonjun frowns as Soobin carefully lifts him out of his lap and places him down onto the bed beside him. 

“Now that ‘she’ is awake, I shall return to my duties,” Soobin says quietly, rising from the bed and putting on his overcoat as he exits the room without another word. 

_ What just happened?  _ Yeonjun thinks to himself, pouting at the sight of Soobin’s retreating figure.  _ Didn’t he just say he missed me? Why is he leaving already? Maybe he’s upset that we haven’t been able to have sex. Oh god, he’s growing bored of me. If I can’t please him in bed, I won’t be in his favor for much longer- _

“Yeonjun? What are you looking at? His Highness is long gone,” the man from before speaks up, breaking him out of his trance. He looks up at the stranger, shying away from him instinctively before pulling the blanket up to cover his body, despite the robes still clinging to his skin.

“Wow… you’re very pretty. Much prettier than any of the other concubines I treat in the palace,” the physician comments as he shuffles around the room, collecting a few items that Yeonjun doesn’t have the energy to decipher. “I mean, you were already pretty when you looked like a corpse, but now that you’re better…”

Yeonjun wrinkles his nose, gasping quietly when the smaller man appears right in front of him as if he were some magician. He backs away quickly, trying to get away from those prying eyes. For some reason, it feels like Beomgyu can see right through him and it makes him uneasy.

“His Highness also said that you’re mute?”

Yeonjun stares at him for a moment before nodding reluctantly. He takes a chance and signs, ‘Who are you?’

“Me? I am the imperial physician, Beomgyu! I’ve been taking care of the prince’s wives since he first married.”

At the realization that Beomgyu understands him, Yeonjun perks up but is unable to enjoy the excitement of having another person to communicate with because of the underlying meaning behind those words.  _ Wives _ . Soobin had plenty before him, and would probably have plenty after him. But he can’t think about that right now, he has to focus on getting better so the prince won’t get bored of him and throw him away. 

“Ah… please don’t look at me like that,” the physician mutters, avoiding Yeonjun’s gaze when he tilts his head curiously. “You’re giving me those sad eyes. It makes me want to hug you but His Highness made it very clear I am not to touch unless medically necessary.”

“Now come on,” Beomgyu says when he’s finished ranting, resting his case on the bed before opening it up, “take off your pants. I need to make sure everything is okay down there before I can allow the prince to make love to you again.”

Yeonjun tenses up at the request, rapidly shaking his head while scrambling back against the headboard.  _ No way! I didn’t come this far just to be revealed by a physician- _

“What’s the matter with you? We both have the same parts,” Beomgyu sighs, rolling his eyes at the boy’s antics. “How am I supposed to make sure your body is okay if you don’t take off your pants?”

_ Same parts… Oh my god, he already knows. And if he knows, the prince definitely knows! Is that why he left so quickly? Is he angry? He’s probably planning my death right now. He’ll probably keep it quiet so that he doesn’t have to reveal he’s been sleeping with a man this whole time- _

“Aish… you have such a beautiful face, but you’re pretty slow, huh?” Beomgyu mutters, reaching out to grab Yeonjun’s belt and unravel it. That only causes him to panic further, smacking the physician’s hand away before rolling off of the bed and huddling into the corner of the room, dragging the blankets with him.

‘I can do it myself,’ he signs quickly, his heart pounding in his chest. 

_ I just finished fighting with death and now I am going to meet him again. This must be my luck. _

⿴

“I have you tend to her everyday,” Soobin says calmly, though his eyes are conveying every single threat of what he is prepared to do to his servant. “How could you perform so poorly?”

“I-I am sorry, Your Highness. I did not fulfill my duty,” Huening Kai admits, kneeling at the prince’s feet with his head bowed.

“You must have known the Princess was behind this! Why didn’t you report it earlier?” Soobin asks, restraining himself from taking out his sword and putting an end to this useless servant’s life.

“Because, Your Highness…” Kai finally raises his head, looking into the eyes of the prince he’s been serving for half his life. “The Princess Consort has always been a jealous and deceitful person, yet you showed favor towards Madam Yeonjun. It was inevitable that she would act out in this manor,” the servant explains, lowering his gaze back down to the floor. “Your Highness is well aware this is not the first time she has done this.”

Soobin grinds his teeth together in anger, the thought of anyone causing his Yeonjun to suffer such excruciating pain making him vibrate with rage. However, he maintains his composure, promising himself that he will not lash out as he had a week ago. 

“I want every person who laid a hand on Yeonjun locked in the dungeon. Leave Madam Yeji until I tell you,” he demands, watching the servant nod before rising to his feet. 

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

⿴

Less than an hour later, Yeonjun is bathed and dressed in new robes, no evidence of the crime committed left on his body. Beomgyu finally relented and gave the medicine for Yeonjun to apply himself while telling him, “This is a cooling serum. It will help to ease burning and heal any wounds on the inside too. If you need help, have the prince apply some after he is finished.”

Obviously embarrassed, Yeonjun took the medicine and tucked it away in his nightstand before watching Beomgyu leave his room. 

As grateful as Yeonjun was to be left alone, now he cannot stop worrying. The physician obviously knows he is a male, which means Soobin must know too. Unless he didn’t tell him? But why wouldn’t he? Maybe he thought Soobin already knew?

He’s so lost in his thoughts, staring blankly down at his lap, that he doesn’t even hear his bedroom doors sliding open and closed. It’s not until he feels a hand on his shoulder and hears a quiet, “Madam,” that he raises his head and blinks at the servant. 

‘What are you doing here?’ he signs.

“The prince is asking for you, Madam Yeonjun.”

_ Why is he still calling me Madam? Don’t they know what I am? What is happening? Am I being taken to my death?  _

“Come,” Kai says softly, grabbing his arm and helping him out of the bed. “We don’t want to keep His Highness waiting.”

Yeonjun simply nods, following obediently as the servant leads him out of the room and away from the courtyard. As they approach a sheltered path, his heart rate begins to pick up at the unfamiliar location. It’s cold, the sun is setting, and Huening Kai is leading him to a part of the manor he’s never been to before.

_ This is really it. They’re going to kill me and cover it up so no one will know I’m dead.  _

As they approach a large stone building, Yeonjun feels like his stomach is in his throat. He was prepared to die, but now that he was actually here, he couldn’t help the trembling in his fingers as they approach a tall set of wooden doors.

“Madam,” Two guards greet him simultaneously, bowing their heads and it’s then that Yeonjun remembers he is married to the Prince of Ansan, the Ruler of the South. 

He simply nods, too anxious to do anything more as they pull the heavy doors open. Huening Kai continues to lead him inside, lit torches lining the dark hallway as they walk for what feels like hours. He’s shaking so much and he doesn’t know whether it’s from the cold or his nerves, but he’s thankful when he sees Soobin’s large silhouette at the end of the hallway because his legs are ready to give out.

“Madam Yeonjun is here, Your Highness,” Kai announces his presence and Yeonjun shakily falls to his knees with a thump, bowing with his hands on the cold stone floor before raising his head to watch as Soobin turns around to face him.

“Aish… Why didn’t you put your shoes on?” The prince asks with a frown and Yeonjun blinks at him once, twice, before lowering his gaze down to his bare and now dirtied feet. 

_ Should I be worried about my feet knowing that I am going to die? Is my dignity so important? _

“Come here,” Soobin kneels down, wrapping his large arms around him before easily lifting him up and holding him against his chest. Yeonjun gasps at the sudden closeness, gripping the front of Soobin’s robe before looking up at the prince in surprise. “It’s cold down here. Are you trying to get sick again? How long do you plan on worrying me?”

_ He… was worried about me? _

“If you feel cold, just lean in closer to me. Okay?” the prince whispers in his ear and Yeonjun nods slowly, his cheeks growing warm when he realizes they are not alone in this place.

“What is the meaning of this?!” The princess’s voice soon cuts through the atmosphere like a sharp blade. Yeonjun tightens his grip on Soobin’s robes, huddling closer as he tries not to remember the pain she caused him the last time he saw her. “Get your hands off me! I am the princess!”

The prince’s grip on his body tightens, and Yeonjun glances at his face to see that cold expression marring his beautiful features. Except this time, it’s not directed towards him.

“Since the princess is here, we can now begin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if there’s mistakes i’ll read back through it tomorrow and edit it


	14. Chapter 14

“Y-Your Highness, what is the meaning of this?” Madam Yeji asks once the guards finally release her, letting her fall to the ground theatrically.

“Just watch and you will understand,” Soobin says calmly and Yeonjun tries to steal a glance at her but is stopped when one of Soobin’s large hands rises up to cover his face and turn his head back into the crook of his neck. He stays quiet, not willing to risk disobeying or angering his husband in any way, closing his eyes and resting his head on the man’s shoulder obediently.

A few seconds later, he jumps at the sound of chains rattling against the floor, his fingers clutching the prince’s royal robes tighter. A loud thud echoes against the stone walls and Yeonjun imagines some _ body _ is the culprit.

“Your Highness… p-please.”

It’s a familiar voice, one that sends a terrified shock down his spine. Whoever she is, she was there the night he was poisoned, when he was restrained and forced to swallow that disgusting liquid that made his insides feel like shredded meat. Soobin’s grip on him tightens, holding him closer to his body.

“This humble servant admits her mistake. Please spare me!”

“Why don’t you ask the princess to save you?” Soobin suggests, hand still covering Yeonjun’s face despite the boy’s eyes being screwed shut in fear.

“P-Princess, please! I have been serving you since you were little. Please help me! I did everything you asked of me. I have always been loyal to you…”

“Don’t try to push the blame on me!” Yeji yells, voice muffled by the fabric of her robe as she tries not to vomit at the sight of her servants open and bleeding wounds. “Y-Your Highness, you have to believe me! I knew nothing about what happened to… Madam Yeonjun.”

“Is that right?” Soobin tilts his head, as if entertaining the idea. 

“She must have been behind everything and now she’s trying to take me down with her! Quickly, kill this servant for accusing her master.”

“I’m in no hurry to kill her, Madam Yeji. She was only given fifty lashes before you arrived,” Yeonjun frowns at the coldness in his husband’s voice, wondering if he would be so easily punished as well. “I think two hundred lashes for the two days my wife spent unconscious seems fair. If she survives, she can return to her place at your side, Princess.”

Yeonjun finally manages to pry his eyes open just in time to see the tail of the whip swing through the air before connecting with already broken flesh, the sight making him cower in fear. He watches, terrified, as the Princess’s handmaiden screams and tries to crawl away, her body already covered in dark welts and oozing lacerations.

“There’s no need to be afraid,” Soobin tells him, gently grabbing Yeonjun’s chin before turning his face towards him. He smiles and in any other circumstances his heart would flutter at the sight of those dimples, yet it only serves to make the smaller uneasy. “She is someone who has hurt you. Her, and the others, put you through insurmountable pain. I am only granting them the same in return.”

Yeonjun manages to nod his head but he cannot stop the trembling in his hands as he listens to the sound of the whip and the screams of the suffering servant.

“Let’s go back,” the prince says after watching him for a moment. Yeonjun thanks whatever God is watching over him right now and clings to Soobin, pressing his face into the opening of his robe so he can hide from the disgusting sight.

“Your Highness! What about me?” The princess asks, grabbing onto Soobin’s robe from her position on the ground. Violently, Soobin kicks her hand away and glares at her. 

“You will stay and watch the rest. If you don’t, you will suffer the same fate.”

⿴

“How are you feeling?” 

Yeonjun opens his eyes as the prince carefully caresses his cheek, pushing his bangs away from his forehead and behind his ear. He leans into the touch, turning his head before pressing a soft kiss to the center of Soobin’s palm.

‘I will be okay,’ he signs, even though he knows the prince will not understand him.

“What does that mean? Good? Bad? Okay?”

Yeonjun chuckles silently, before holding up his hand and raising his thumb.

“That means good?” Soobin asks and Yeonjun nods, blushing as the man takes his hand and intertwines their fingers together.

“Your Highness, the princess-“ 

Huening Kai’s voice interrupts their moment together, Soobin’s hand unattaching from his own as the servant pushes the doors to Yeonjun’s bedroom open. “Oh. I am sorry to interrupt, Your Highness.”

“The Princess. What about her?”

“She’s fainted in the dungeon, most likely from shock.”

Soobin scoffs, leaning back against the headboard. “Just send Beomgyu to look after her.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

As soon as Huening Kai is gone and the doors are closed again, he can feel the prince relax as he looks down at him. “Sometimes I wish so badly that you could speak,” Soobin admits quietly, trailing a long finger over his parted lips. Yeonjun remains still, hands resting over his stomach.

_ I can speak… in my own way.  _

“Do you know how to read? Or write?”

Yeonjun shakes his head, finally turning away from the prince as shame prickles the back of his neck. His mother was nothing but a servant and his father died when he was young, so they barely had enough money for food let alone to send him to school. 

“No? Then I’ll teach you,” Soobin says triumphantly, helping Yeonjun sit up before he climbs off the bed and disappears into the opposite room. When he returns, he spreads out parchment onto a long table and smooths it out with two pieces of fine decorative wood. Yeonjun watches in fascination as he mixes the ink, dipping the brush into the black liquid.

“Well? Don’t just watch, come over here.”

Yeonjun smiles at the prince’s teasing tone, climbing down from the bed before approaching the table that rises just a foot above the ground. The prince grabs his waist and lowers him down into his lap, a blush spreading from his cheeks to his ear.  He tries to listen intently as the boy explains each character as he writes them down but he’s distracted by the arm hand on his waist and Soobin’s breath ghosting against his neck.

After a while, Soobin looks at everything he’s written on the page before glancing down at Yeonjun’s slightly dazed expression.

“You know,” Soobin laughs, setting his brush down on the table. “I’ve fought in wars, tamed savage horses, shot men down with an arrow, and even beat the battle drum and yet… teaching is the one thing I cannot do.”

Yeonjun smiles, for real this time, because the prince is making a joke with him. He’s grinning and laughing and showing Yeonjun those precious dimples that have rarely ever made an appearance. So he grabs the brush, determined to show him that he’s not a bad teacher, dipping it into the ink as Soobin had before and begins to mimic the prince’s writing onto the second half of the parchment. When he’s finished, his fingers are covered in black ink but his characters look almost, if not exactly, like Soobin’s.

When the prince glances over his shoulder to take a look, Yeonjun blushes at the close proximity while waiting anxiously for his judgement. What he doesn’t expect is a hand on his head, ruffling his hair as Soobin tells him, “You didn’t miss a single line, Yeonjun. Good job.” 

_ How is this the same man who just sentenced a woman to be whipped 200 times? It’s like he’s a completely different person. _

“From now on, I want you to practice reading and writing. I’ll have someone come teach you, and I’ll help when I can,” Soobin offers, cupping Yeonjun’s face in his large palm. “And you’ll teach me these gestures you make. I want to know what goes on in this brain of yours.”

If Soobin hadn’t already seen him at his lowest points, he would have been embarrassed by the tears pooling in his eyes.  _ I don’t deserve this treatment,  _ he thinks to himself, wrapping his arms around the prince’s neck and burying his face in his shoulder to hide the torment behind his eyes. 

_ I’ve been lying to the prince since the moment I arrived here. I don’t deserve his kindness. _

Soobin’s arms wrap around him, holding him tight and rubbing his back in soothing circles. “If I had known writing would make you this happy, I would have gave you a teacher sooner,” the man laughs, filling Yeonjun’s heart with warmth and overbearing guilt.  He wipes at his eyes before lifting his head from the prince’s shoulder, holding up his hands. 

‘Happy,’ he signs, blushing at Soobin’s confused face.

“What does that mean?”

Yeonjun thinks for a moment, considering writing it down before realizing the prince didn’t show him the symbol for happy. So he looks up at Soobin and gives him an exaggerated smile, which probably looks insane with his reddened eyes, pointing to it.

“You’re smiling? Why… are you happy?”

Yeonjun nods frantically before signing the word with his hands again. Soobin seems to understand, squeezing his slim waist through his robes.

“This means happy,” he says, mimicking Yeonjun’s gesture perfectly. 

_ I have never felt happiness like this before,  _ Yeonjun thinks and leans up until his lips are just inches away from Soobin’s. He hesitates, wondering if he’s allowed to make such a bold move when he feels the grip on his waist tighten, pulling him closer until their lips are brushing together. 

The kiss is innocent at first, barely lingering for more than a few seconds. But then Yeonjun grabs the prince’s slim face in his hands and presses their mouths together with more confidence, gasping when he feels Soobin’s tongue teasing into his mouth. It feels like Yeonjun is in a fairytale, living a life he never dreamed possible, with a husband kissing him like he was the last oasis in a thousand miles of pure desert.

They end up with ink smeared on their robes from Yeonjun’s fingers, bodies pressed close together under the fading glow of the lantern. It feels like they’re making love for the first time, like every touch is conveying the emotions their words cannot. It’s the first time he’s laid on his back, watching Soobin’s face as he enters him and he wishes it could always be like this—gentle and loving. Yeonjun allows himself to get lost in the pleasure, silently crying out and begging with his body for Soobin to touch him, to cherish him. And he doesn’t let himself worry about what’s between his legs, their robes still in a jumbled mess hiding what is between them.

_ If he finds out, at least I will die having experienced a happiness I never knew possible. A happiness I do not deserve… _


	15. Chapter 15

When Princess Yeji finally awakes, she’s in the infirmary room with Beomgyu sitting at her side. She groans at the sight of him, rolling over on the futon until her back is facing him.

“What’s the matter, Princess Consort? Are you not feeling well?”

“No, I just don’t want to look at you,” Yeji mutters bitterly, letting her eyes slip shut as she tries to go back to sleep and forget the reality of her situation.

Which is that her husband, the Great General and Prince of Ansan, was falling for that wretched woman and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. Especially now, with her servants locked away and the prince’s absurd protectiveness over that witch, there was no way she would get another chance to take her out.

_No. You mustn’t think like that. You’re smart, Yeji. You will find a way to eliminate her and take the official title of Crown Princess._

“Then close your eyes, Princess,” Beomgyu suggests sarcastically and she would roll her eyes if they were open.

“This is all your fault, you know?” She snapped, finally opening her eyes before sitting up in the futon. She turns to glare at Beomgyu. “You’re the one who saved that wicked girl, aren’t you? You should have just let her suffer.”

Beomgyu stares back at her with a hard gaze, crossing his arms over his petite chest. “I am a physician. My job is to save lives, not take them or sit back and do nothing while they waste away.”

“So what? You can save a thousand other lives but me… how will I possibly maintain my position here? Once that enchantress conceives a child and gives birth, I’ll have no place here!” Just the thought of being divorced and sent back to her brother’s palace has her heart rate spiking. The embarrassment and shame of that fate would be too much to bear. She would rather die than become a divorcee and lose her title as Princess.

“But men cannot conceive children. Even I know the limitations of my medicine,” Beomgyu explains, shrugging away the princess’s outburst. At least until he notices the way she’s staring at him, her expression one of disbelief and confusion.

“Wait… are you saying Madam Yeonjun is a…?”

Beomgyu swallows the lump in his throat when he realizes that he most definitely just said something he shouldn’t have, frantically shaking his head. But the princess is smart, and her confused expression melts into a sinister smile when she finally puts the pieces of the puzzle together.

“I can’t believe it… This whole time, she’s been a man?!”

_This is just the information I needed._

⿴

“Make an announcement tomorrow,” Soobin tells Huening Kai, barely looking up from the letter he is writing to the King. “I will be bestowing the title of Madame Consort to Yeonjun.”

“Y-Your Highness… I am not questioning your authority but are you sure that’s a good idea?” Kai asks, anxiously watching the prince as he writes his intentions onto the parchment.

“If I say it is, then it is,” Soobin says with finality, dipping his brush into the ink once more before continuing his message.

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

“And when I am finished, you will take this letter to be sent to the King asking him to bestow an official high-ranking position on my bride.”

Huening Kai, in all his years of serving Prince Soobin, has never once seen him declare a Madame Consort out of respect for the Princess Consort, the king’s beloved sister. Anyone who receives this title would become just as important as the main wife, even having their name included into the family books.

“Y-Your Highness, what should this ‘official’ title be?” 

Soobin stops writing, finally tearing his eyes away from the parchment on his desk as he considers this. “Official title…” he thinks aloud, tapping the handle of the brush against his chin.

“What about... ‘Noble Consort?’” Kai suggests warily.

“Noble Consort... It sounds nice. I approve. Go inform the Princess Consort that she will be responsible for bestowing this title upon Yeonjun.”

“Speaking of the princess, Your Highness, she seems to have fallen ill after her night in the dungeon. She’s been asking for your presence.”

“There's no need. Beomgyu will look after her. If she rests well, she will be fine.”

⿴

That afternoon, Yeonjun is already seated at the table, practicing the characters Soobin taught him last night when a strange voice tears his gaze away from the parchment. He looks up to find an adorable boy with prominent features and big eyes, his face much too serious for someone of his… physique.

“Hello, Madam Yeonjun. I am Kang Taehyun, I was requested by His Highness to teach you calligraphy,” the boy introduces himself and Yeonjun smiles, scooting to the side so there is room for him at the table.

“I’m glad to see you are already practicing. Did the prince teach you this?” Taehyun asks as he approaches Yeonjun's side, kneeling down on a cushion to admire the work he has done so far.

Yeonjun nods, pointing to Soobin’s writing before his own to the right of it. “I think the prince will be embarrassed to know that you are already better at calligraphy than him,” the boy snickers with a hint of a smile on his full lips. Yeonjun’s eyes widen and he frantically shakes his head, crossing his hands in disagreement. Taehyun just watches him for a moment before smiling.

‘I am going to pretend I don’t know what that means,’ the younger boy signs and Yeonjun’s eyes light up at the gesture, gasping in surprise.

‘You know how to sign?’

“Of course I do. I specialize in all aspects of communication. That is why His Highness chose me to be your teacher."

_Wow. He has a beautiful face and an impressive mind._

“Now… I was going to start out easy on you, but after seeing this I think you can handle more of a challenge,” Taehyun tells him and Yeonjun finds himself nodding eagerly before gesturing with his hands.

‘I will do my best!’

⿴

Yeonjun learns that Taehyun is a lot funnier than he looks. He finds himself smiling a lot more than he has in weeks and he enjoys the boy’s company. When it’s time for him to go, he gives Yeonjun a passage to learn and replicate before the next afternoon.

He works hard to finish it before Soobin returns after sunset, but he makes a mistake halfway through and has to restart on an entirely new parchment. Just as he begins writing he hears the patter of footsteps outside his room. The doors slide open and the cool winter air gushes in, disturbing the beaded curtains and rattling the glass windows.

He looks up in surprise, blushing at the sight of his prince with a pink nose and furs around his neck. He looks ethereal as he enters Yeonjun’s bedroom, like something straight out of a naughty fantasy as he closes the doors behind.

When he rises to greet the prince, Soobin holds a hand out to stop him. “Stay there. It’s snowing outside. Let me warm up first.” Yeonjun pouts but does as he is told, settling back down on his cushion before returning to his work. He spares the prince an occasional glance, no longer able to focus on copying the passage as Soobin removes his furs and coat in front of the fire, too afraid he will make another mistake and have to restart yet again.

“What are you working on?” Soobin asks, warming his hands in front of the flames. 

‘Taehyun, my teacher, is wonderful. He showed me so many new words today and gave me an assignment to complete…’ Yeonjun stops signing once he realizes the prince is not even looking at him, an exaggerated frown tugging at his lips.

_It’s not like he would have understood me anyway..._

So he lowers his brush to the table before resting his hands in his lap, waiting patiently for Soobin to finish warming up before he finally, _finally,_ rises to his feet and comes to sit at Yeonjun’s side. “I have something I want to give you,” the boy tells him quietly and Yeonjun isn’t sure whether the flush in the prince’s cheeks is from embarrassment or the warmth of the fire.

He maneuvers Yeonjun into his lap and the smaller boy blushes at the memories of last night, as if he can still feel the prince’s hands and lips all over him. Soobin’s arms wrap around him and that’s when he spots the small red sack in his hands. Yeonjun watches with excitement as those long fingers work it open, delicately removing the gift inside. 

At first, it just appears to be a pale white stone, carved into the shape of a rectangle with a glossy finish. The top holds a brown tassel with a carefully designed knot at the top, securing a cloudy bead. He’s not entirely sure what he’s looking at but he gasps nonetheless at the beautiful stone, glancing up at Soobin as if to ask if this is really for him.

“This is a dojang stamp,” Soobin explains to him. “It’s used to sign one’s name. I chose this stone because of how it resembles your complexion. Just like snow…” Yeonjun blushes at his words, watching the prince turn the detailed stone in his hands so Yeonjun can get a good look at it.

“And here on the side, I had the artist engrave the characters for angel because when you danced that night in the banquet hall… you were so beautiful. It was as if an angel had descended from heaven. I was angry at you for showing that to others, for sharing such a beautiful part of you.”

Yeonjun’s throat feels tight as the prince speaks into his ear, his eyes welling with tears as he understands how much detail he put into this gift. To know the reason for Soobin's anger that night wasn't because he was ashamed or embarrassed of him but because he was jealous, it made his heart beat dangerously fast in his chest.

“And this bead here, I thought it resembled your eyes. Even though yours are brown, they are bright like the moon and convey such tender feelings,” Soobin places the stamp into his palm gently before pressing those soft lips against the shell of his ear. “Yeonjun, your eyes are the most seductive in the world. It feels as if I am being bewitched every time I look into them.”

He squeezes his eyes shut, his fingers curling around the stamp and holding it to his chest as if it were the most precious gift in the world. And to Yeonjun, it is. It’s the first and only gift he has ever received, and he wants to cherish it for the rest of his life.

“I want you to try it,” Soobin murmurs and Yeonjun can feel every movement of his lips on his skin. “Dip it into the ink and press it down onto the paper.”

He follows the prince’s instructions, taking the stone in his hands carefully before dipping it into the pad of ink. That’s when he notices the raised engraving on the bottom, the characters unfamiliar to him. “Go ahead,” Soobin encourages him. He nods and presses the stamp onto paper, watching with wide eyes as he finally lifts it and see the characters from the bottom of the stone staining the paper in dark ink.

‘What is it?’ he signs, glancing over his shoulder at the prince.

“It’s your name. Yeon Jun. It is completely yours, only you can use it.”

_My name… I’ve never seen it before._

At the sudden onset of emotions, Yeonjun sets the stone down before turning around in Soobin’s arms and flinging himself at the older man. They fall backwards in a pile of robes and flailing limbs as Yeonjun hugs him, kissing the prince just as passionately as the night before. He feels those large hands on his hips, squeezing and rubbing circles into his sides as they taste and explore each oothers mouths.

“Ahem… Your Highness,” Kai’s voice interrupts them as he slides the doors open, staring at the scene before him with wide eyes.

Yeonjun blushes as he sits up, glancing over his shoulder shyly at the servant. It’s then that he realizes how this must look, Soobin lying on the ground with Yeonjun above him, attacking him like a wild animal. He scrambles to get off but the prince just holds his hips in place, sitting up so he can face Huening Kai properly.

“Speak.”

“After learning that she will be bestowing the title of Madame Consort on Madam Yeonjun, the Princess Consort has been screaming and crying. She is demanding to see you. She threatens to commit suicide if you do not come,” Kai explains reluctantly, giving Yeonjun a sympathetic look as the excitement visibly evaporates from his body and he deflates.

“I see,” Soobin says, glancing at Yeonjun once before lifting the boy out of his lap and resting him on a cushion. “I will be back soon. You should rest,” he tells him, petting his hair with a gentle hand before rising and gathering his furs from in front of the fire. Yeonjun watches them both disappear before glancing down at his present, wiping away the ink from the bottom in fear of it staining the pale stone.

_I seem to have gotten lost in my delusions. The Prince of Ansan does not only belong to me. I should remember my place if I do not wish to get hurt._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just want to thank everyone for the lovely comments im so glad ur enjoying the story! 💞💞


	16. Chapter 16

"His Highness won't even look my way anymore! What's the point in living? That bitch has seduced His Highness every night, tricking him with that deceitful face!"

Soobin rolls his eyes at the sound of Princess Yeji's voice echoing throughout her courtyard, trying his best not to let his temper flare when he hears the way she speaks about Yeonjun. 

"It's all his fault… he must have lied to the prince about me. That's the only explanation! Why else would he refuse to visit me and make her his Madame Consort?"

As Huening Kai opens the door to her quarters, Soobin observes the disheveled room. The curtains are ripped, expensive vases shattered on the floor, and the Princess Consort is looking to be in no better condition herself.

"Are you implying that I cannot make my own decisions?" Soobin asks, staring at his wife with disdain as her eyes widen when she finally recognizes his presence.

"Your Highness… you're here. I knew that you would come-"

"Are you not the Princess Consort? Where is your dignity?" The prince interrupts her, sitting down on the bench at the end of her bed before motioning for both Huening Kai and Yeji's new servant to exit the room and leave them alone. As soon as the doors are closed, Yeji starts complaining yet again, testing the limits of Soobin's patience with her.

"I am only this desperate because of that bitch! When Yeonjun fell ill, Your Highness never left his side. You even took care of him," she explains, approaching Soobin carefully before kneeling at his feet, taking one of his hands between her own. "What about me, Your Highness? Am I not your bride too? I've requested to see you multiple times and yet you never came to me until now."

Soobin smacks her hand away when she's done talking, growing more irritated with every word she speaks. "Were you not the one responsible for Yeonjun falling ill? Maybe my punishment was too light if you still think you have any right to touch me."

"Your Highness, please-"

"Stop. I came here because you claimed to be ill, but from the looks of it you seem quite capable. If you are done embarrassing yourself, I will take my leave," the prince says rather calmly despite the rage storming inside of him. He rises from the bench only to be stopped by the woman groveling at his feet.

"B-But I am ill! I cannot sleep well and I have no appetite. Every time I close my eyes, I am reminded of Sujin's screams."

"Good. Let that be the reminder of what will happen if you bring harm to my possessions again. Madam Yeonjun is already my Madame Consort, and you will be there at the ceremony to grant her the title of Noble Consort. Looking down on her, even speaking down to her is an insult to me. Remember your place if you wish to remain among the living."

"M-My prince, please," Yeji begs, rising to her feet so she can grab Soobin's arm to stop him from leaving the room. "I just love you so much…"

Soobin makes a disgusted face, yanking his arm away from her. "Get your envious face away from me. It's humiliating," he sneers, shaking his head as he walks towards the door.

"Your brother, King Hyunjin, has already agreed to bestow this high-ranking position upon Madam Yeonjun. So you should be mindful of your position as Princess Consort and prepare to host the ceremony. Do not embarrass yourself in front of me again," he tells her coldly before opening the doors and disappearing outside without another word.

When Soobin returns to Yeonjun's quarters that night, he finds her asleep on the floor beside the table with the dojang stamp still clutched in her fragile hands. He picks her up and carries her to the bed, placing her down in the center before stroking her hair and watching her peaceful sleeping face.

⿴

The next few days pass by quickly. Yeonjun continues working diligently with Taehyun to learn calligraphy, able to structure his own sentences by the third afternoon. Then when the sun falls and Soobin returns, he shows off what Taehyun taught him and even teaches Soobin a couple phrases in sign language. 

Everything seems to be going perfectly. In fact, the last few days have been so perfect that Yeonjun is on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Despite how well Soobin is treating him lately, Yeonjun is still lying to him about so much. He goes to sleep every night with his stomach in knots, the guilt slowly eating away at him for every time the prince expresses his love and affection.

The other shoe drops four days before his ceremony. Taehyun leaves his room before sunset as usual and Yeonjun waits patiently at the table for Soobin to return. Except it's not Sooin who enters his room next, it's Huening Kai telling him the Princess Consort is requesting his presence.

"You may decline, but if you choose to go I will not allow any harm to come to you. That is a promise, Madam Yeonjun."

He has every intention of declining, but then the guilt makes him second guess his choice. He stole this woman's husband, earned his favor through lies and deceit, it is only right that he should listen to her concerns before the ceremony.

'I will go,' he signs before rising from his cushion, tucking the dojang stamp in the pocket of his robe before falling Huening Kai to the Princess's courtyard.

"No need to be so stiff,  _ Madam  _ Yeonjun," Yeji says with a fake smile plastered across her face. She is still as gorgeous as ever, but Yeonjun is no longer fueled by her beauty. 

"Please take a seat."

Yeonjun nods once before kneeling down on the cushion sitting opposite of her, watching with fearful eyes as an unfamiliar servant pours tea into two cups resting on the long table between them.

"I'm sure you were surprised by my request, but don't be afraid. I only wanted to chat with you," the Princess Consort says as she raises the cup of tea to her face, pausing before she can take a sip.

"I've heard a rumor spreading around the Kang Village," she says, looking directly into Yeonjun's eyes who swallows sharply, hands clenching and unclenching in his lap. "It's interesting because they say there was a mute servant who once lived with his mother. Apparently, this servant was both beautiful and seductive, like a witch. And on the day of His Highness's wedding, the daughter of Kang Chul was replaced by that very same mute servant."

Fear courses through Yeonjun like white hot fire, his body stiff and tense as each word passes through the princess's lips.

"Isn't that strange?" she laughs loudly, finally sipping her tea before returning the porcelain cup to the table. "I'm not sure I would have believed it if it weren't for that little physician. He told me about who you really are,  _ Choi _ Yeonjun."

Yeonjun gasps quietly at the use of his real name, sweat gathering at his brow. He doesn't know what to do or how to defend himself. 

_ What will happen when the prince finds out? There's no way she wouldn't tell him. _

The Princess Consort watches him with a smirk before rising from her seat, walking around the table until she can kneel down beside him. "I don't know what tricks or illusions you used to hide your true identity, but listen to me very closely:  _ His Highness will not forgive you for deceiving him. _ Once he finds out the truth, the punishment you will suffer will be a thousand times worse than 200 hundred lashes."

Yeji grabs Yeonjun's face, his eyes pooling with the tears at the thought of having to be on the receiving end of the prince's cold gaze once again. 

_ I can't bear the thought of being hated by him. _

"Oh my. Don't cry, pretty," the princess coos, wiping away his tears before standing up. "I won't be the one to reveal your secret, as long as you follow my every word. Can you do that?" As she looks down at Yeonjun, he nods pitifully and wipes the tears from his face. 

_ I knew it was all too good to be true. I don't deserve to be by his side.  _


	17. Chapter 17

"Yeonjun, you seem distracted today."

Yeonjun tenses up at the prince's voice in his ear, his hands trembling as he tries to focus on copying the passage Taehyun left for him. He made so many mistakes and had to start over so many times that he could tell his teacher was growing annoyed with him. And now the prince is going to be angry with him as well.

"If you're tired then you should rest. It's only been a few weeks since you were ill, you need to keep your strength up."

Yeonjun doesn’t respond, his eyes trained on the half finished calligraphy until he finally gives up, setting it to the side so he can prepare a new page. After laying it flat and spreading it out, he glances at the window to see the sun almost completely gone. If he doesn't act fast, the princess will reveal his identity.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me-"

Yeonjun shrugs the prince's hand away when he grabs his shoulder, turning his back to Soobin before dipping his brush in the ink and writing down the words that were about to ruin everything. 

_"Tonight, I want you to reject His Highness and tell him to come spend the night with me instead," Yeji tells him, crossing her arms as she towers over him._

_"That's all. Even a useless mute like yourself is capable of such a simple task."_

He takes a deep breath, readying himself before he begins writing. He can feel Soobin's presence over his shoulder, watching his every move.

'Your Highness,' he writes, 'Please go to Madam Yeji's quarters tonight.'

Soobin scoffs, shaking his head. "You want me to spend the night with the Princess Consort? Why? Is she forcing you to do this?" Yeonjun quickly shakes his head, his stomach curling from the guilt and shame weighing down on him. 

'Ever since I came to your palace, you have spent your nights here. I am eternally grateful for your love and favor, but you should not stay here anymore. People have called me a seductress and claim I am leading you down the wrong path.'

"Why should I care what others think? Who are you hearing these rumors from? Just tell me and I'll protect you, Yeonjun," the prince says seriously, grabbing his shoulders and forcing him to turn around. Yeonjun refuses to meet his eyes, afraid that he won't have the strength to do what's right. He pushes the prince’s hands away before turning back to his parchment.

'I am not the one who needs protection. I am protecting you. I will only harm your reputation. The Princess Consort is your legal wife and sister to the King. She is a much better match for you.'

When the only response is silence, Yeonjun finally takes a glance at the prince only to see cold eyes glaring back. His heart stutters pathetically in his chest, reminded of how afraid he was the first time the prince directed that hateful gaze towards him.

"After everything I have done for you, you are going to deny me now?" Soobin grabs his chin harshly, dragging his face close. "Do I no longer satisfy you? Tell me why you're saying this now!"

Yeonjun's eyes widen at the outburst but he can only look away, unable to witness the pain in Soobin's eyes. 

_If this is doing what's right, why does it hurt so much?_

"I see. Is this really what you want?"

Yeonjun shrinks in on himself further, his head bowed in his lap. He nods weakly, squeezing his eyes shut. He listens to the prince stand, the warmth of his body gone and replaced by the harsh cold of winter.

"I guess what they say is true. Once you give someone your heart, they will always find a way to break it," the prince's voice echoes through his room, followed by the sound of his doors slamming shut.

Yeonjun can't help the sob the rips from his throat as soon as Soobin is gone, collapsing in on himself as pitiful sounds force their way out of him. He trembles with the force of each sob, his face wet and swollen as he realizes what he's done.

He doesn't recognize his own voice that night, doesn’t realize he's the one producing sounds until Huening Kai finds him there on the floor, holding him tight and rocking him gently until he finally passes out from the exhaustion.

The prince, as expected, does not go to Madam Yeji's chambers as Yeonjun requested. Instead, he spends the night in his study wallowing in his own anger and self-pity. 

After Huening Kai carries Yeonjun to bed and replaces the wood in the fire, he goes to find Soobin in hopes of calming him down. When he tries to enter the study, he gets a book thrown at his head and a dismissal that eerily resembles a threat.

Madam Yeji spends her night waiting for the prince's arrival, only to be greeted by her handmaiden when the sun has risen. She decides that Yeonjun must have disobeyed her and refused to send the prince away, so she orders her servant to tell Yeonjun he must deny the position of Noble Consort.

_"What are you waiting for? Go! And tell him that he'd better do as I say or he and his mother will both suffer!"_

⿴

Yeonjun considers telling the prince the truth about everything. When he wakes up his throat is hoarse and his eyes sore, and his heart feels like it has been shattered into a million pieces. He can only imagine what the prince is feeling and wonders if he could spare them both by confessing the truth of himself and what the princess forced him to do.

However, he can't find any reason for the prince to believe him. He has spun so many lies in the short few months that he's been here, he's not even sure of what to believe himself. Though his thoughts are short lived as an older woman sneaks into his room just after sunrise to relay the princess's message.

_I can't risk my mother's well-being. I would rather have the prince hate me then let her die._

Yeonjun quickly dresses himself without Huening Kai's help, though he only manages to get on an undercoat before rushing out of his room in search of the prince. He finally sees Huening Kai outside of the prince's study, a few other familiar guards at his side as well.

"Madam Yeonjun, you shouldn't be out here dressed like this! You'll catch another cold before your ceremony."

'I don't care. Where is he?' he signs, pleading with his eyes as he looks up at the taller boy.

"He's in his study, Madam. I doubt he would be willing to see you, though."

'Tell him I am here to apologize. I want to admit my mistakes.'

Kai looks at him skeptically before nodding, disappearing into the room. Instantly, the sound of the prince yelling can be heard and he winces, realizing that Soobin must also be suffering the same pain for him to be acting like this.

A few minutes later, Kai reappears and motions toward the open doors. "He has agreed to speak with you."

Yeonjun nods briefly, thanking Huening Kai with his hands before hesitantly entering the room. He's never been inside and it's much larger than he expected, the walls covered in shelves with scroll after scroll lining them. When he spots the prince at his desk, the man doesn't even raise his head or acknowledge his presence. So Yeonjun kneels down in front of him, bowing with his hands to the floor before waiting for Soobin to acknowledge my presence.

It feels like hours before the prince finally speaks. "I assume you'll need something to write your apology on. Here."

Yeonjun looks up at the sound of his voice, nodding his head before carefully rising to his feet and walking around Soobin's desk until he is standing beside him. He takes the brush from Soobin's outstretched hand, his own trembling as he lowers the tip to the parchment.

_If only I could tell you how sorry I truly am._

'Your Highness, please withdraw the request you sent to the King for my royal title,' he writes, handing the brush back to Soobin before stepping back so that he can read it properly.

Yeonjun flinches at the sound of wood snapping, his eyes widening at the broken brush now rolling on the desk. "This is what you came to tell me?!" Soobin yells, finally lifting his head to face him and Yeonjun can see the anger and pain in his eyes. "Tell me why! Do you not wish to perform the duties of an Imperial Consort?"

Yeonjun looks around frantically before grabbing the broken half of the handle with the brush tip, dipping into the prince's ink once more.

'I cannot accept this blessing.'

This sentence holds a truth that Yeonjun has been too scared to admit. The person to stay by Soobin's side, the Noble Consort, should be born with good fortune from a royal standing. Not a mute, deceitful servant. He should have known it would always end this way. The Princess Consort is the best choice for His Highness.

The reaction Yeonjun was not expecting is for the prince to burst into laughter. He drops the brush again, stepping away from the man laughing in his chair because it sounds manic and sadistic. "This is what you call a blessing?" Soobin asks, shoving his chair back before rising to his feet and grabbing Yeonjun's wrist so tightly he covers in fear.

The prince yanks him closer and a terrified gasp leaves Yeonjun's lips. He prepares himself to be hit by covering his face with his free hand and squeezing his eyes shut, waiting for the blow to come.

It never does.

Instead, Soobin grabs his other wrist and lowers it from his face. Yeonjun peaks an eye open, glancing up at the prince in confusion.

"Do you know how to follow orders?"

Yeonjun nods once.

"Then what makes you think you are unworthy of this position?" 

At the prince's question, Yeonjun finds himself going blank. He doesn't know how to respond, especially in a way that Soobin would understand, so he just stares.

"Did you think I would send you back to your village if you denied this position?" he inquires, releasing Yeonjun’s wrists before cupping his face. "Have I not made myself clear in the past? Do not believe that you can enter and exit this palace as you please."

The smaller boy shivers as the prince leans down to his ear, caressing his cheek and then his ear. "You are my property, Yeonjun. Everything you do, everywhere you go, every piece of you belongs to me. Do you understand?"

Yeonjun is trembling, unable to stop his body from reacting. _The princess will not rest until I leave this palace. She will reveal my true self to the prince. And if I am his property, he'll probably keep me alive just to torture me for eternity._

"I asked you a question, Yeonjun."

He nods slowly, lowering his gaze to the floor. The prince finally releases him and Yeonjun hadn't realized how much he had been leaning into Soobin for support until he stumbles back and lands on the ground with a loud thud.

"The ceremony to receive the blessings of nobility remains without change," Soobin says while staring down at him with the cold gaze that makes his heart ache. 

"Now get out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> everyone is so anxious about the gender reveal and i promise it will happen soon! within the next two chapters (depending on how i decide to write it)


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is unedited but i didn't want to keep u waiting for too long so i'll go back through an edit it tonight. i think many people have been waiting for this chapter >.<

"You should not have refused him," Huening Kai tells him the next morning as he is preparing for his ceremony. He helps Yeonjun into the final layer of his bridal hanbok, so much fabric weighing him down that he feels seconds away from collapsing under the pressure. 

He looks at the servant in shock from the sudden change in conversation before wrinkling his brows. "His Highness made you Madame Consort to protect you," Kai tells him as he begins to pull back pieces of Yeonjun's long hair so he can style it appropriately. "Although I was assigned to watch over you, I failed to protect you on multiple occasions." 

Kai ignores Yeonjun's gestures of protest, continuing his speech. "As I am sure you are aware, the prince had nine concubines and mistresses before you. Yet not one has managed to survive." Yeonjun shivers at the thought, wondering idly if his fate is to be the tenth. "But His Highness was not the cause of their death. He was simply a bystander to the Princess Consort's untamed jealousy."

'Why are you telling me this?' Yeonjun signs, lifting his head so he can look up at the boy working above him.

"I am telling you this, Madam Yeonjun, so that you understand how special that makes you. The Prince has never once bestowed this title upon one of his concubines and that puts you in an entirely different league than them. If you receive this position, it means you will be buried alongside His Highness in the family cemetery. Descendants of his family will kneel and pray at your tombs." Every word, though spoken with good intention, has Yeonjun shrinking in on himself yet again. 

_So the prince wanted to be with me night and day, in life and death, together until old age… But it's not the real 'me' he wants that with. I am just a mute slave with a stolen identity._

He was able to hold his emotions well the entire morning, but somehow Huening Kai was able to break down every wall he had spent last night building while he tossed and turned in bed. He's crying before he even realizes, only alerted to the fact by Kai frantically dabbing at his face, trying to save his make up.

"I'm sorry, Madam Yeonjun. I said too much."

_His Highness was ready to give me everything… but I am not worthy of receiving it._

"Kai! What are you doing making this cutie cry on his special day?"

Yeonjun looks up at the sound of Beomgyu's voice, a whirlwind of emotions flowing through him at the sight of his familiar and kind face. But then he remembers the Princess Consort's words.

_He told me all about who you really are, Choi Yeonjun._

He watches the physician approach him with wide eyes, fear prickling at his gut. "Look at you. You've got a face full of tears," Beomgyu coos, sitting down on the stool in front of him while waving Huening Kai away so he can wipe Yeonjun's tears. "You're only becoming the Madame Consort. No need to be so emotional."

Yeonjun keeps his hand in his lap, breath caught in his throat as Kai returns to styling his hair and Beomgyu begins rifling through his untouched breakfast. "Anyhow, I never thought I would see the day someone tamed the Prince of Ansan. The Princess Consort was right to suspect you of being an enchantress. What kind of techniques did you use? I would love to know."

Baffled by the physician's words, Yeonjun simply stares as he begins to peel a tangerine. "Want one?" he asks as he breaks off a piece before popping into Yeonjun's mouth without waiting for his answer. He chews it slowly, his hands sweating from the anxiety he's suffered the past few days.

"Well, whatever. Just don't believe anything His Highness says. If he cares for you so much, then why is he only giving you the title of Madame Consort? If I had your face, I would only settle for becoming his main wife and taking the title of Crown Princess!"

'I do not deserve such a high standing,' Yeonjun finally replies, his hands shaking. Beomgyu pauses, looking at him for a moment before finishing the rest of his tangerine and standing up.

"That is something the Princess Consort would never say and that's exactly why he should just divorce her and make you his main wife," the physician sighs, rolling his eyes before placing his hands on his hips. "Regardless, His Highness wanted me to check on your health to make sure you could handle the ceremony but you look fine to me. If all is well, I'll be taking my leave."

 _It must be nice to live life so carefree like that,_ Yeonjun thinks as he watches Beomgyu's retreating figure. _If only I wasn't such a burden to others._

"Madam," Huening Kai says, holding up a mirror so he can see his reflection. Except, all Yeonjun sees is a stranger he does not recognize anymore, in clothes that do not belong with him, preparing for a ceremony he does not deserve.

_If only things could be different._

⿴

Yeonjun can't bring himself to look the prince in his eyes for the entirety of the ceremony. The hall is filled with people he does not know, royal officials and servants all watching him be granted the title of both Madame and Royal Noble Consort. The Princess Consort herself is nowhere to be seen and he has to wonder why she is letting this happen. 

_Why isn't she doing anything to stop this?_

At the end of the ceremony, Soobin holds out a large hand in front of him and he finally takes a moment to look up at him, their eyes meeting. He was expecting to be met with his cold gaze, but what he sees is the hint of a smile gracing his perfect lips and he feels like his heart might explode.

_Isn't he still angry with me?_

Yeonjun looks down at the prince's outstretched hand before finally placing his own in it. Soobin intertwines their fingers and he blushes at the gesture, lowering his head.

"Come. We shall celebrate while they write your name into the family books," Soobin announces, leading Yeonjun down the stairs to join the rest of the crowd as they make their way outside.

There is still snow melting on the ground, the sky bright and a cool breeze whipping through his hair, jostling his jewels and decorative hair pins. Soobin wraps a firm arm around his shoulders, holding him close. Yeonjun watches him in awe, wondering why the prince still wants him by his side after everything he said the past few days.

_Does he really love me that much? Can all of this truly belong to me?_

"Stop!" A familiar, catty voice sounds through the courtyard and Yeonjun tenses up, turning in Soobin's grasp to see the Princess Consort walking towards them with her hair disheveled and her robes messily wrapped.

She's caught the attention of everyone, all heads turning to face her as she approaches the couple. "Your Highness…" she begins warily, stopping a few feet behind them. Even the official magistrate, who was in the middle of printing Yeonjun's name onto the family scroll, stops. 

"I promise I am not here to cause trouble. I am simply trying to protect you from making a horrendous mistake! That bitch has been tricking all of us and I am going to reveal his identity to you!"

Yeonjun winces at the volume of her voice, hands trembling violently as he prepares to lose everything. _It's fine. I knew this would happen._ "Remove his clothing!" she commands her servants and his eyes fly open, shaking his head. A few of her handmaidens hesitate before slowly approaching Yeonjun and grabbing his arms. He immediately looks to Soobin for help, only to see him standing to the side with an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"I gave you a chance to leave the palace, didn't I?" Madam Yeji asks, sneering at him with an evil glint in her eyes as hands, so many hands, begin to pull at his clothing. "Now I am going to show everyone who you really are, Choi Yeonjun." 

Yeonjun squeezes his eyes shut, not resisting as layer upon layer is removed. He's shoved to the ground and his body erupts in goosebumps as his bare skin comes into contact with the snow, his hand slamming into a piece of ice as he tries to break his fall. When he finally opens his eyes, fresh blood is gushing from his palm and staining the pure white snow beneath him. The weight of his bridal hanbok is completely gone and yet the shame and humiliation of being completely naked in front of the entire palace, _in front of the Prince_ , has him struggling to breathe.

"Everyone, can you believe such a shameless man would dare parade himself around in women's clothing? Seducing the prince?" The Princess Consort speaks up, gasps and whispers from the crowd causing tears to prick at his eyes and spill down his cheeks. 

"How disgusting," she sighs, her words piercing through his heart. _It doesn't_ _matter. I will be dead soon enough._

"Your Highness, thank goodness I revealed this monster's true identity before he was actually entered into the family books!"

At the sound of snow crunching and footsteps growing closer, Yeonjun screws his eyes shut once more and prepares himself for the blow.

_Will he kill me here? Or will he be too disgusted to touch me himself? Maybe he'll order his servants to do it._

He doesn't breathe for nearly a minute despite his heart threatening to beat right out of his chest, his skin burning from being exposed to the snow and his palm throbbing where he wounded it.

Yeonjun winces when he feels a hand against his cheek, his wet eyes flying open to see the prince kneeling down in front of him. "So this is the reason you rejected me?" Soobin asks, his voice eerily calm. Yeonjun starts crying harder, reaching up with his uninjured hand to wipe away the tears that refuse to stop falling. "The princess discovered your true identity and forced you to do all of this, right?"

Yeonjun just looks up at him through blurry eyes, knitting his eyebrows together in confusion. _Why am I still alive? Why hasn't he killed me yet?_

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Yeonjun gapes at the prince's question, mouth falling open and closed repeatedly. _How could you expect me to look you in the eyes and tell you something like this?_

"It's because you didn't trust me," Soobin whispers, sliding his fingers into Yeonjun's hair despite the pins and jewels. "You didn't believe that I would forgive you. You didn't believe in my love for you."

 _How could I?_ Yeonjun thinks as he stares into the prince's eyes, wishing so badly that he could crawl into those arms and hide himself away from the rest of the world. 

"You didn't think I would take your side."

_How could I possibly allow myself to believe that?_

"Did you think all I cared about was how you look in women's robes? Or maybe you thought I was only marrying you for your supposed status as Kang Chul's daughter."

_Why else would you…_

"Do you take me for an idiot?" Soobin snaps, dropping his hand from Yeonjun's cheek before rising to his feet. The naked boy watches, terrified as the prince unbuttons his royal outer robe with fur around the neck hanging from his shoulders.

 _Is this it? Is he taking it off so he doesn't_ _dirty it with my blood?_

But then the warm cloth is being placed around his own shoulders and Yeonjun's breath hitches as the prince leans in close to his ear. "We have been sharing a bed for so long that I would have to be a blind fool to not know, Yeonjun."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the cliffhanger but the next chapter will be up soon! i think we're close to finishing which is so exciting 😊


	19. Chapter 19

"You just recovered yet you're already cold and bleeding again," Soobin sighs, exasperated if he's the one who was just stripped naked and shoved to the ground. Yeonjun gives him a skeptical look as those large hands wrap the outer coat around his shivering body before helping him onto his feet. "Come on. We need to get you inside-"

"Your Highness… Surely you are not still protecting him! He's a man! And worse yet, his true identity is nothing but a servant!"

Soobin turns to look at the Princess Consort as her voice fills the courtyard, narrowing his black eyes at her. "Are you not going to kill him for deceiving you this long?" she asks in disbelief, eyes wide.

"Deceive?" Soobin scoffs, hands still sitting heavy on Yeonjun's shoulders as he keeps the boy close. "How did he deceive me?"

The Princess Consort must realize what he means because she grows pale, even more so than usual. "Speaking of which," Soobin continues, taking the smaller boy by surprise as he lifts him up and cradles him against his chest to keep his bare feet off the snow. "If it wasn't for your little outburst here today, I would never know why Yeonjun suddenly rejected me."

"Your High-"

"Shut up," the prince mutters and Yeonjun watches as her mouth snaps shut. "Do you really think you walk away from this without punishment? You stripped my husband down-" Yeonjun blushes at the term, his heart pounding, "-and exposed what should only be seen by me. You have tampered with my affairs long enough, Yeji."

The Princess Consort gasps at the use of her first name, shaking her head. "My prince… Please, I just love you so-"

"The only reason you will be allowed to keep your life is because I promised your brother I would take care of you. King Hyunjin fought by my side in battle, protected me with his life, and I married you without question when he asked. But you have pushed me past my limits," The prince explains and Yeonjun, just like everyone else in the courtyard, waits in anticipation for his decision. 

"Send word to the King that I will be divorcing Madam Yeji and he should prepare for her arrival at his palace immediately," Soobin declares. Gasps erupt from the crowd and the princess in question begins crying, begging Soobin to change his mind as she is dragged away by Huening Kai and another servant. However, despite the chatter amongst the royal and court officials, Yeonjun can't take his eyes off of Soobin. 

_ Is he really doing this for me? Divorcing the King's sister?  _

"Your Highness," the magistrate speaks up, the family scroll resting in his hands. "What should we do now?"

"We will forgo the rest of the ceremony. Write down the new Consort's name and return the scroll to the Ancestral Hall."

"What?" the smaller man asks in confusion, furrowing his eyebrows.

Soobin narrows his eyes at the man. "What do you mean  _ what _ ?"

"W-Well, it's just… it doesn't seem appropriate to name a man  _ Madame  _ Consort. What will people say?"

"Who cares what they say?" Soobin asks, staring at the magistrate so intensely that the man lowers his head in shame. "I am the only one in charge of the family scrolls now. Do as I tell you. Write his name or you will find yourself relieved of your job and your hands."

"Y-Yes, Your Highness. As you wish."

As soon as the magistrate scurried away, Soobin lowers his gaze to find Yeonjun already staring at him with wide eyes. "What? I hope you are not still planning on rejecting me now."

Yeonjun quickly shakes his head and Soobin smiles in response. "As my Consort, we will be together for an eternity. While alive, we will sleep in the same bed and when we die, we shall lie in the same grave. Do you accept this fate?"

Yeonjun stares at the prince, his cheeks and ears red and hot to the touch. He nods shyly before hiding his face in Soobin's chest, pulling the coat tighter around his body and shivering. "Then I will forgive you for the trouble you caused here today. What will you day to repay my kindness?"

The question is not spoken with malice but with that smug and lustful tone that Yeonjun knows all too well. Yeonjun doesn't have anything other than his body to give the prince, so with his cheeks even hotter than before, he raises his hand and touches the prince's chest, tugging at his robe gently.

"Then it's decided…"

⿴

"I've cleaned up his hand and applied a special medicine to help with the healing," Beomgyu explains as he finishes wrapping Yeonjun's. He grabs the cream he prepared and shoves it into Soobin's awaiting hands. "Apply this to his hand three times a day and it shouldn't leave a scar."

"Alright," Soobin agrees, taking the jar from the smaller boy. 

"I'm afraid there's nothing much I can do for his cold. Make sure to keep the fire lit and feed him only warm foods."

"I will."

At the prince's nod, Beomgyu turns back to face Yeonjun. "You know, you're more impressive than I thought," the physician whispers to the boy now resting in the center of their bed, blushing at his words. "You were able to make Madam Yeji completely unravel without even lifting a finger. You seriously need to tell me-"

"Get away from him," Soobin sighs, setting the jar down on the nightstand before grabbing Beomgyu by the collar of his clothes. He drags off of the bed and towards the door.

"H-Hey! I wasn't even that close! At least let me walk… Did you really need to throw me out so roughly?"

Yeonjun chuckles quietly to himself as he watches the prince throw Beomgyu out before sliding the doors shut firmly, a smile settling on his lips. When Soobin returns to his side, he holds out his uninjured hand and the prince takes it, squeezing gently. 

"You know… there is a hot spring just north of the palace. I've never been there because I don't like the heat, but I think it would be good for you-" Yeonjun cuts the prince off by nodding his head rapidly, gasping in delight at the thought of getting to relax in a warm bath.

"I take it you want to go?" Soobin asks with a laugh.

'As long as you come with me,' Yeonjun signs using just one hand.

"Of course. I will be right by your side."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay i had an idea for a yeonkai oneshot so i started writing that but im really excited for this fic to end (it feels bittersweet haha ^-^) just one more chapter to go! thank u to everyone who left kudos/comments i appreciate it all so much!! 💞


	20. Chapter 20

"This is my first time here but it's much nicer than I expected," Soobin comments as he watches Yeonjun approach the edge of the large open bath, steaming dissipating into the cool winter air. The prince himself is already suffering, sweat gathering at his temple and dripping down the sides of his neck from the heat. He hates the feeling, but he can tolerate it if it's for Yeonjun who seems perfectly content, slipping his sandals off before lifting up the bottom of his robes so he can dip his toes into the hot water. 

His long but petite body shivers as he lowers himself down onto the rocks to sit, and Soobin can see the red in his ears from behind. "I hope you're not planning to go in with all of your clothes on," he jokes, coming to stand behind the smaller boy who looks up with flushed cheeks.

'Are you going to come in with me?' Yeonjun signs and it takes Soobin a minute to figure out what his gestures mean. He's still not the best with sign language but he does his best to remember everything Yeonjun teaches him.

"Do I seem like the type to leave you naked and vulnerable?" the prince teases, sliding off his own shoes before unwrapping his robe and letting it fall to the ground with a heavy thud. When Yeonjun turns at the noise, his eyes grow wide and his entire face is flushed at the sight of Soobin's cock hanging right in front of him.

"Don't look at it like that or he'll become interested," he laughs, stepping into the water and groaning at the heat and steam that immediately embraces him. He grimaces but continues walking down the makeshift stairs before finally reaching the ground. The water comes just above his hips and he slowly walks towards Yeonjun, who is still propped up on the side with just his feet dipped in the water.

"Are you scared?" he asks curiously, reaching out to grab one of Yeonjun's feet before slowly massaging it, watching the boy twitch and gasp before wiggling his toes. He knows Yeonjun is ticklish but he feigns innocence, continuing to caress the arch of his foot as the boy shakes his head, struggling to pull his foot out of Soobin's grip. 

"What's the matter?" Soobin asks, dragging his nails over the boy's heel. "Tickles?"

Yeonjun pouts fiercely at him, eyes narrowed and lower lip extended before he crosses his arms and turns away from the taller man. Soobin just smirks, finally releasing his foot before moving closer and grasping Yeonjun's chin in his hand. "You should work on being angry. You're much too cute to intimidate anyone like this." He emphasizes his point by dragging his thumb along Yeonjun's puffy lower lip and leaning in to kiss him. 

When he pulls away, his husband is smiling with that dopey expression on his face and making those lustful eyes at Soobin that have his cock twitching with interest. “I think it’s about time you repay my kindness, don’t you?” he asks slowly, tugging at the belt around Yeonjun’s waist as the smaller boy nods. He hums in approval before leaning in to capture the boy’s lips in another kiss, sliding his hands inside the fabric of his gowns before pushing it down his shoulders, letting it fall to the ground and expose miles of smooth pale skin. 

⿴

When they’re finished “bathing” and return to the room accompanying the hot spring, Soobin surprises Yeonjun with a set of male robes he had specifically tailored from the finest silk that could only be harvested once per year. He sends the boy off to change and waits patiently at the edge of the bed, dressed in his own bath robes with his chest exposed and his legs crossed unprofessionally.

When he hears the familiar sound of Yeonjun’s careful footsteps, he looks up and his eyes widen at the sight of Yeonjun’s long legs and petite waist being accentuated by the thin material. The lack of layers typical of Yeonjun’s feminine gowns only serves to accentuate every perfect detail. 

“This body must have been sculpted by the gods in heaven,” he mutters, taking Yeonjun’s hand before pulling him into his lap. He wants to feel every inch of him, let his hands roam the long expanse of his back or kiss the warm skin between his slender thighs, but he gets distracted when he notices the solemn pout on Yeonjun's full lips.

"What's the matter, my angel?" he asks, rubbing circles into his side.

Yeonjun waits silently for a moment before raising his hands and signing, 'Which body do you prefer?' Soobin can't contain his shocked expression at the question, his hands pausing their movement on Yeonjun's waist.

"They are both your body, Yeonjun," he tells him sincerely, pressing in close so his lips are brushing against the boy's sensitive ears. "I will love you in any clothes. I only wish for you to dress how you want. Follow your nature."

Yeonjun gives him a small smile, turning in the prince's lap so he can straddle his thighs. Soobin's hands find their way back to his hips immediately, shamelessly groping his ass through the thin robes. 'How long have you known?' the boy signs, curious.

Soobin hums thoughtfully before patting Yeonjun's hip. "Since the first night I held you," he tells him honestly, watching the way Yeonjun's eyes widen in surprise. "I'm sure you don't remember but I made you cum so hard you fainted-" Yeonjun slaps his chest in retaliation, his cheeks pink, "-and I had to clean you up."

Yeonjun looks down shyly, nibbling on his lower lip before signing, 'Why did you never say anything?' 

"Hm… because it was interesting, wasn't it?" Soobin says blatantly and Yeonjun gasps before glaring at him. He climbs out of the man's lap and slides onto the bed beside him, crossing his arms over his chest angrily.

_ I worried about dying every day and you knew the whole time…  _

Soobin chuckles at the whole charade, wrapping an arm around Yeonjun's waist before pulling him firmly against his side. "You actually look angry now. Much better than earlier," he praises him, ruffling his hair.

Yeonjun pushes his hand away, rolling his eyes at the prince.  _ That's because I'm actually angry now, idiot. _

"Let's put it like this…" Soobin sighs, taking Yeonjun's hand in his own and squeezing it gently. "I did not know your reasons and you would not have been able to tell me back then, anyway. So what was the point in asking?"

_ Well, when you put it like that… _

"Besides… someone from your village came to me and told me the truth about who you were in hopes that I would reward them. He told me that Kang Chul made you a replacement for his daughter and in return he would take care of your mother. I told one of my servants to make a note of it and to keep quiet, but that must be how Madam Yeji found out." 

At the mention of his mom, Yeonjun looks up with wide eyes and begins to sign frantically.  _ If the prince knows who I am, maybe he'll bring my mother here and take care of her- _

"Relax. I've already made preparations for your mother to be brought to the palace," Soobin assures him while laughing.

Yeonjun's eyes are flooding with tears before he can stop them, staring up at the prince with so much love in his heart that he's afraid he might explode. He leans up and kisses the prince firmly, tears spilling over his cheeks and dripping onto his clothes. When he pulls back, he gives Soobin a watery smile before signing, 'I love you.'

"What does that mean?" he asks, still holding onto Yeonjun's waist firmly. That's when he realizes that he's never told Soobin how he feels before, never expressed it through his hands or his brush. His cheeks grow warm and he looks up into those black eyes, touching his own heart before touching Soobin's heart gently, hoping to convey his feelings.

"A-Are you…" Yeonjun watches the prince's cheeks grow pink and he nearly melts at how cute he is, leaning up to steal another kiss. "Okay, okay. I get it," Soobin laughs against his lips, laying back on the bed and pulling Yeonjun on top of him as the smaller continues to cover his face in tiny kisses.

"I love you too, my angel," Soobin whispers, holding Yeonjun's face in his large hands before pressing their mouths together. "Now let me appreciate this body of yours completely."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm kind of sad that it's over but i hope i wrapped everything up and i hope you all enjoyed it. thank you for all of the lovely comments!


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